Being in close proximity to Mexico, NewBridge Family Shelter serves an area with many immigrant women from Mexico, many of whom experience one or more forms of domestic violence while in the United States.

Battered immigrant women face many unique issues related to domestic violence and difficult barriers to leaving an abusive relationship such as:

Isolation
The abusing partner often keeps his victim isolated from family and friends - and from anyone who speaks her language. He also may not allow her to learn English.

Threats
He may threaten to report her to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and get her deported. Or he may threaten to withdraw the petition to legalize her immigration status.

Intimidation
He may hide or destroy important papers (such as her passport, identification card, Green card, health insurance card). He also may destroy the only property she has from her country of origin, including important mementos.

Citizenship or Residency
The abusive husband may fail to file papers to legalize her immigration status, or withdraw (or threaten to withdraw) papers that have been filed.

Economic
He may report her to the INS if she works "under the table" -- or threaten to do so. He may not let her obtain job training or schooling so she can become financially independent.

Emotional Abuse
The abusive spouse may lie about her immigration status. He may write lies about her to her family and friends. He may call her racist names.

Children
He may threaten to take her children away from the United States, or to report her children to the INS. Or he may threaten to hurt them.

Language
When a battered immigrant woman tries to get assistance from a domestic violence agency, she may not be able to use the help that is offered because it is not in her language and no one is available to translate.

Cultural
Services provided by domestic violence programs may not address relevant cultural issues, so the agency may propose ideas that are not culturally appropriate or may not be able to offer her the right kind of assistance.

Access to Services
Domestic violence agencies may not understand the intricacies of immigration law and issues, and therefore be unable to help her solve her problems. Immigration agencies or attorneys may not recognize the signs of domestic violence, or know how to help.