An Exploration of the Specialised Service Provision for BME Women who have Experienced Domestic Violence with Reference to Three Support Providers in the North West of England.

Abstract

This study addresses the question ‘does service provision need to be sensitive to racial difference?’ It involved a series of semi structured interviews with a small sample of twelve women working within BME specific services for domestic violence. Analysis is centred around various themes including: these women’s understandings of service provision, their experiences of providing support, how provision responds to the needs of BME women and, whether specific provision is required to meet the needs of different women. By focussing on three BME specific organisations in the North West of England where such provision is thinly spread, the study offers an in-depth examination of provision from the perspective of BME service providers. It highlights a number of limitations placed upon specialist BME services and the challenges faced by participants when trying to support BME women who have experienced domestic violence.

The findings strongly support the case for the existence and continuance of BME specific organisations by echoing research which highlights the very specific and complex needs that BME women may have including language difficulties (Chopra et al, 2007), barriers created by a lack of cultural awareness or sensitivity (Burman, Smailes and Chantler, 2004), and problems that arise in relation to immigration both in terms of the legal status of women (Anitha, 2010)) and the additional problems that arise such as loneliness and isolation (Wilson, 1978; Sanghera, 2007). It also highlights the very complex relationship between commonality and difference and suggests that this relationship require intensive attention and analysis. Furthermore, the discussions that emerge within the interviews suggest that despite their small numbers and limited resources such organisations are vital because of their ability to attend to the specific needs of BME women as well as their willingness to consider the very difficult and uncomfortable questions that arise when supporting women who fall outside of dominant understandings of what being a woman means.