DV SUPPORT · Building an evidence base to support Polish women victims of domestic violence in the UK.
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2020-08-17 → 2022-05-16
- EU contribution
- €186,317
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Building an evidence base to support Polish women victims of domestic violence in the UK.
This is the first study of domestic violence and abuse amongst Polish migrant women living in the UK or any EU country. The need for this study arose from a realisation that despite the high numbers of Polish migrants in the UK (approx. 800,000), the numbers of Polish women who were seeking the support of domestic violence services seem to be low. There was no research which could help us understand Polish women’s experiences of domestic violence and abuse in the UK, the barriers they may face in seeking support and their experience of receiving such support. The research took place in the context of the 2016 Brexit vote and withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU. This MSCA Fellowship aimed to: 1) understand the nature of domestic violence experienced by Polish women in the UK; 2) identify barriers to help-seeking, leaving and recovering from abusive relationships; 3) make recommendations about how domestic violence services can better respond to the specific needs of Polish migrant women. The project results showed how migration increases the risk of domestic abuse and reduces access to support by Polish women living in the UK. Factors that can block or increase support include: language; the role of friends, family and the wider Polish community; employment and financial situation; understanding of available services; and a lack of awareness of domestic abuse as a problem. Fear of having their children taken into state care by social services is a major obstacle for women who have children. The project’s findings are contained in a final report of over 100 pages available on the project website.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
This 21 month MSCA Fellowship will develop a vital evidence base for domestic violence services in the UK and Europe to improve reporting and access to support by Polish migrant women in violent relationships. This will be achieved by conducting the first study of domestic violence amongst Polish migrant women living in the UK or indeed in any EU country. The research will capture the various factors shaping the domestic violence experiences of Polish women and work of practitioners (specialist domestic violence workers, social workers, police officers). The findings will also enhance conceptual understanding of how migration and transnational factors shape domestic violence. The Fellowship will draw on an inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration between Dr Iwona Zielińska (Researcher), Supervisor Celia Madden – the manager of EDAN Lincs (Host organisation) and an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Lincoln (secondment). This will ensure applied, practice-focused research and training with a 6-month inter-sectoral secondment to the UoL for academic input. The Society & Enterprise route of the MSCA scheme serves best to realise the practice-related aim of the research and to advance Dr Zielińska’s career goal of becoming an expert in translating research evidence to practice settings.A combination of qualitative methods from media studies, sociology and organizational studies, and the use of online tool NodeXL,will be used to obtain a holistic picture and in-depth knowledge on the problem from various perspectives. The Fellowship will thus generate the first research findings on this important dimension of vulnerability and harm. The findings and recommendations will be widely disseminated and communicated in UK, Poland and other EU countries to improve help services and to raise awareness of the issue.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- EDAN LINCS · NEWARKCoordinatorUnited Kingdom
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union