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Review of Gender Violence Among Arab Immigrants in Canada: Key Issues for Prevention Efforts

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Abstract

Migration can be a major risk factor for gender violence due to cultural differences, stereotypes, unemployment, and lack of knowledge about services and immigration laws. Even though it is possible to get evidence about many of these issues, there is a lack of evidence-informed interventions designed to reduce gender violence among Arab immigrants in Canada. The hierarchical structure within many Arab families in western societies can challenge prescribed gender roles, which might be perceived as a threat to the continuity of the culture and a reason for abuse. This literature review addresses issues for interventions that seek to reduce gender violence while recognizing resilience, family hierarchy, and the value of maintaining a family as potentially protective factors in prevention programming.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CIHR Centre for Intercultural Research on Prevention of Gender violence (CIPREV) -Arab immigrant component, 1010 Cahill Dr. W, Ottawa, ON, K1V 9H8, Canada

    Dina Shalabi

  2. CIET Canada, Institute of Population Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada

    Steven Mitchell

  3. Family Medicine, McGill University, Montreal and CIET, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Chilpancingo De Los Bravo, Mexico

    Neil Andersson

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  1. Dina Shalabi
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  2. Steven Mitchell
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  3. Neil Andersson
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Correspondence to Dina Shalabi.

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Shalabi, D., Mitchell, S. & Andersson, N. Review of Gender Violence Among Arab Immigrants in Canada: Key Issues for Prevention Efforts. J Fam Viol 30, 817–825 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-015-9718-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-015-9718-6

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