The Role of Citizenship Status in Help-Seeking Behaviors and Reporting to Police Among Domestic Violence Survivors

• In Event: Bystander Intervention and Reporting of Crime to Police

Abstract

Domestic violence (DV) impacts millions of individuals in the United States, yet is a significantly underreported crime. Immigrants who experience DV face very different challenges in reporting these crimes to the police and seeking help from victim support agencies, compared to natural born citizens. In order to best support DV survivors, the relationship between citizenship and both reporting and help-seeking behaviors needs to be better understood. This study examines police reporting and help-seeking behaviors of DV victims using data from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) between 2017 and 2022, depending on various traits including citizenship status and ethnicity. Results speak to what extent citizenship status plays a role in the reporting behaviors of DV survivors. Implications for policy and practitioners assisting DV victims and survivors are discussed.

Author

• Kristen M. Fite, George Mason University