Perceptions of Intimate Violence and Attitudes Toward Interventions: The Role of Acculturation

The present study investigates the effects of perceptions of intimate violence, knowledge of domestic violence policies, and attitudes toward domestic violence interventions among Vietnamese Americans. Data analyses indicate that Vietnamese Americans tend to view intimate violence as a problem and strongly support government interventions, but they are not likely to support criminal justice interventions. Perceptions of the problems and attitudes toward interventions are not significantly affected by all indicators of acculturation. Particularly, English proficiency has no significant effects on all dependent variables. On the other hand, knowledge of domestic violence policies significantly increases support for government interventions in general and for criminal justice interventions in particular. The study suggests the importance of understanding acculturation within the social, cultural, and political contexts of the immigrant community, as well as the importance of social integration and public education in improving knowledge about domestic violence and intervention policies among immigrants. (C) 2005 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.