Spouse ImmigrationSpouse Immigration was not recognized by some developed countries then and now. It is a problem that many women all over the world face if they do get the courage to go to another country to avoid spousal abuse. Back in the 1970s one of my close friends was hiding out in a safe house in Holland and Germany as she avoided agents of the Marcos dictatorship in the Philippines. As I began to discuss this article she mentioned that many of the women she saw hiding in these safe houses were not avoiding military persecution. What they were avoiding was a fiancé or a husband who had consistently beaten them. Though they might get a k1 (fiancé) spouse immigration visa they could not come out of hiding to utilize it. Hiding in these safe houses was their only escape. They could not apply for political asylum; there was neither an interview they could seek nor application that they could fill out. Those were the early days before you could easily find a lawyer or an attorney to give you their help. There are few legal firms with lawyers dedicated to help women with seemingly hopeless cases. However, without the mandate and enforcement from local governments, women will remain vulnerable to violent spousal or partners' abuses. Various individuals and groups have defined domestic violence to include everything from saying unkind or demeaning words, to grabbing a person's arm, to hitting, kicking, choking, or even murdering. Domestic violence most often refers to violence between married or cohabiting couples, although it sometimes refers to violence against other members of a household, such as children or elderly relatives. It occurs in every racial, socioeconomic, ethnic, and religious group, although conditions such as poverty, drug or alcohol abuse, and mental illness increase its likelihood. Studies indicate that the incidence of domestic violence among homosexual couples is approximately equivalent to that found among heterosexual couples. Among immigrant groups it is much worse, especially in patriarchal societies where women are often expected to do what they are told by their fiancés or husbands. Because of this there may be no place for them that is safe other than in a safe house within their community or outside. Those who are lucky to get out of their community still get caught by their determined partners to hurt, or even kill them. In this regard, Spouse Immigration is the last resort a woman can get to save her life. |