No Residence Permit & Victim of Domestic Violence
The search for healthy dependency
This research focuses on people residing in the Netherlands without or with a dependent residence permit who have experienced domestic violence. In this research the focus lies both on the experiences of these victims with professionals in the care and safety domain, as well on the experiences of the professionals in the care- and safety domain with their services delivered to this specific group.
Domestic violence victims possess an uncertain, complicated judicial and social status. Their residence permit is dependent, uncertain or absent and society is hesitant to include and accept migrants. In this complicated position, these individuals are dependent on the government and professionals in the care and safety domain to receive the correct form of necessary care and protection. This occurs in the context of a withdrawing government that stimulates citizens to do exactly the opposite: solve their problems with their own and with the strength of their social network. This is difficult – and possibly unrealistic – in a situation in which victims often do not have (the right) social network to break through the cycle of violence themselves. Adding to the complexity is the fact that the violence takes place within the same social network. This makes both the request for help by the victims as well as the offering of help by professionals a complicated task.
This research tries to map the search of domestic violence victims– without or with a dependent residence permit – for care and protection. (How) do they find the right care and protection? Which organizations play an important part in offering these services? What kind of social network do victims have? And can those networks be used to tackle the violence? Besides these victim-oriented questions, this research focuses on the position of the professionals in the care and safety domain. How do they offer care and protection? And do they feel supported by both the government as well as their own organization to work with this complex group?