Technology-Facilitated Abuse Against Women From Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds: A Scoping Review of the Literature

Trauma Violence Abuse. 2023 Oct;24(4):2530-2543. doi: 10.1177/15248380221098045. Epub 2022 May 8.

Abstract

Women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds are particularly vulnerable to domestic and family violence, including technology-facilitated abuse. Often CALD women depend on technology to connect with support networks in their home country. Technology-facilitated abuse can be devastating and isolating. There is limited comprehensive knowledge of how technology-facilitated abuse is experienced by CALD women. This scoping review addresses this gap by exploring and analysing the available literature on technology-facilitated abuse amongst CALD women in the context of domestic and family violence. Employing a scoping review methodology, a total of nine studies were identified from a database search and other sources (including snowball, web search, and search verification processes). Studies were included if they contained the following three elements: (1) a focus on technology-facilitated abuse, (2) the inclusion of CALD women's experiences, and (3) a context of domestic and family violence (DFV). This review firstly maps the methodologies and characteristics of the studies. Second, the most common types of technology-facilitated abuse that disproportionally affect CALD women are identified together with culturally related help-seeking barriers. Areas for future research are discussed along with suggestions for improving practises and policies for prevention and intervention.

Keywords: CALD; DFV; domestic and family violence; help-seeking barriers; immigrant women; technology-facilitated abuse.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Domestic Violence*
  • Female
  • Gender-Based Violence*
  • Help-Seeking Behavior
  • Humans
  • Technology*