Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Psychology
Program Name/Specialization
Community Psychology
Faculty/School
Faculty of Science
First Advisor
Dr. Ciann L. Wilson
Advisor Role
Advisor
Second Advisor
Dr. Natalie Kivell
Third Advisor
Dr. Maritt Kirst
Abstract
In Canada, domestic violence (DV) is a pervasive problem that impacts people regardless of their background. However, racialized communities can face additional challenges and discrimination when seeking DV resources and support, while service providers simultaneously struggle to accommodate and provide adequate and appropriate support. South Asian (SA) community members and scholars have highlighted the ongoing problems with DV conversations, policies, supports, and resources for the SA community. This study explores how SA service providers in Canada understand, interact with, and wish to improve DV supports for SA community members. This research is set within a critical-transformative paradigm and uses a qualitative research approach. Several theoretical frameworks guide this research, including a socio-ecological model, critical race theory, intersectionality, and radical imagination. Rooted in a Freirean approach to collective knowledge creation, I facilitated four culture circles with seven participants working in and from the SA community on issues of DV. These culture circles were followed by a final member check-in session. Additionally, I kept a reflective journal to document the research process. I then analyzed both the culture circles and my reflective journal as basis for this dissertation.
The overarching goal of this research was to shift harmful and individualized narratives of DV currently associated with the SA diaspora in Canada to one that focuses on structural and institutional systems, and how we, as a wider community, can address this multi-level and multi-faceted issue. Accordingly, and equally, my intention with this research is to provide a critical space in which we, as SA advocates, activists, and service providers can find space to debrief our experiences and learnings and begin to practically move towards challenging and recreating structures that no longer uphold systems that allow for violence.
Recommended Citation
Singh, Amandeep Kaur, "Navigating Domestic Violence Service Provision for Diasporic South Asian Communities in Canada: From the Perspectives of South Asian Service Providers Using a Multi-level Systems Approach and Culture Circles" (2024). Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive). 2676.
https://scholars.wlu.ca/etd/2676
Convocation Year
2024