Barriers to Accessing Intimate Partner Violence Resources Among Latina Immigrants: A Scoping Review

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among women in the United States. Although intervention services exist, resources are limited, and barriers persist for many. These challenges are particularly pronounced among the growing population of Latina immigrants, who face significant obstacles to accessing such services. We conducted a scoping review to identify and synthesize research focusing on barriers to accessing IPV resources among Latina immigrants. We searched PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and SocINDEX. Two authors independently screened each article by title and abstract, followed by a full-text review for those that met the inclusion criteria. Additionally, the reference lists of identified studies were reviewed to identify additional studies that met the inclusion criteria. Thirty studies were included in the final analysis. Two authors independently extracted data from each article. Language inaccessibility, cultural norms, and immigration status were commonly identified barriers to accessing IPV resources. Study participants were often isolated due to a complex combination of coercive control, fear of authorities, separation from community, and lack of knowledge about resources and rights. These barriers were related to and further exacerbated by low socioeconomic status. Latinas who attempted to access resources were met with institutional and structural barriers. To our knowledge, this is the first scoping review examining barriers to accessing IPV resources among Latina immigrants. The identified barriers highlight the need for culturally competent and linguistically accessible interventions. Given the rapidly changing environment surrounding immigration in the United States, research-informed advocacy work is urgently needed.