Religious and cultural influences on domestic violence attitudes and responses in UK ethnic minority and migrant communities: A qualitative inquiry

The current paper presents findings from qualitative research on domestic violence and abuse (DVA) with Christians and Muslims from Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Bangladeshi communities in the United Kingdom (UK). The study explored understandings of and attitudes toward DVA and responses that integrated cultural and religious institutions and resources. Qualitative research was conducted with the help of community-based researchers with existing links and relationships of trust in the respective communities. Three researchers conducted 16 interviews and one focus group discussion with eight participants (total n = 24). The study added to the existing evidence on barriers that DVA victims from ethnic minority faith communities face in migration contexts, adding insight into the complex interactions between norms and pressures at country of origin and conditions in the host society, and the role of religious beliefs as culturally contextualized in this relationship. The study also reinforced the significant role that religious establishments and mediators can play in domestic violence responses, but also their general unpreparedness to do so. Participants proposed that integrating religious institutions and resources in DVA responses would be an effective way forward.