The impact of culture and minority status on women's experience of domestic violence.

The influence of culture and ethnic background on women's experience of domestic violence has been explored in research only recently. Here the authors review research about the impact of culture and minority status in the United States on women's experience of domestic violence, considering family structure,immigration, acculturation, oppression, and community response. The authors encourage researchers and service providers to acknowledge the effects on women of sociopolitical dynamics, including racism, and to identify specific aspects of culture that are relevant to intimate partner abuse.