Domestic Violence and International Students: An Exploratory Study of the Practices and Role of US University International Offices

Abstract

Domestic violence (DV), formerly considered as a private matter, is now recognized as a global social, health, and human rights issue. The acknowledgment of DV as such varies by geography and marital status (e.g., dating and same-sex relationships are not immune). Surveys around the globe suggest that DV is common among college students. A recent, 16-country study indicates that up to one fifth of university students have assaulted a partner severely enough to cause injury. International victims face extra difficulty because students must be in good academic standing and scholars must be employed to remain in the United States. International students and scholars may not consider DV to be a problem or know that it is a crime in the United States. In the spring of 2009, the authors invited the directors of International Offices (IOs) at the 10 US universities with the most international students to participate in an exploratory study. Structured telephone interviews, averaging 30 minutes, included questions about six areas: Job responsibilities; university DV polices regarding students, faculty, and staff; university procedures for gathering information about DV incidents; current IO programs and responses to DV; pressing issues facing IOs; and future projects related to DV that the IOs might undertake. Thematic analysis, in which responses were coded to identify themes across the participants, was conducted. Language: en

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