Family And Friend Responses To Filipino Loved Ones Experiencing Partner Abuse

Community-based research shows that 22% of Filipino Americans report experiencing at least one form of partner abuse (PA) during their lifetime, a higher prevalence rate than those documented among other Asian ethnic groups (Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence, 2018). Victims with support resources are less likely to experience negative health outcomes and revictimization, and one of the most important sources of support is family and friends (Coker, Watkins, Smith, & Brandt, 2003). The vast majority of PA victims disclose first to family and friends and turn to them most for informal support (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000). There is little research, however, that has involved asking family and friends directly about how they responded to loved ones involved in abusive intimate partnerships. The purpose of this study was to explore in depth family members' and friends' responses to Filipino loved ones involved in PA relationships. We used a constructivist-interpretivist research paradigm and phenomenological methods to conduct 29 in-depth interviews with family members and friends. Findings indicate that participants considered it important to respond in ways that allowed them to maintain their connection with loved ones and support their welfare, and 2 types of response categories emerged: communication responses and actions taken. Findings illuminate the importance of working collaboratively with family and friends to cocreate definitions of PA as well as identify PA responses that consider a collective perspective on individual well-being and address the dynamic relationship, social, and cultural contexts in which family and friends respond.