Study project – Fanta Fane (Master’s degree)

DIPLOMAS :

Master’s Degree in Social Work (2018), University of Sherbrooke.

Master’s Degree in Consulting, organizing, and guiding technological and social interventions (2011), University of Picardie Jules Verne (France).

Master’s Degree in Health and Social Policy Engineering (2009), University of Picardie Jules Verne (France).

Master’s Degree in Sociology (2007), Gaston Berger University (Senegal).

Baccalaureate Degree in Sociology (2006), Gaston Berger University (Senegal).

CURRENT STUDIES :

Doctoral candidate in gerontology, University of Sherbrooke.

SUBJECT OF STUDY PROJECT  :

Intimate partner violence among immigrant communities: cross-analysis between theories and practices.

SCHOLARSHIPS AND AMOUNTS RECEIVED :

2011-2012: Bourse de mobilité Phileas (6 000 euros) – Conseil Régional de Picardie (France).

COMPLETION DATE :

Completed the preparatory courses for the master’s degree in social work (September 2014 – April 2015).

Master’s Degree in Social Work (September 2015 – April 2018).

RESERCH PROBLEM :

Domestic partner violence is a social problem that shakes all human societies around the world (Lessard, Montminy, Lesieux, Flinn, Roy, Gauthier & Fortin, 2015). In a report submitted by the United Nations on violence against women, based on research conducted in 102 countries, the figures show that more than one-third of the world’s female population has been the victim of physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives (UN, 2015). Studies published by the Ministry of Public Security (2016) show that in 2014, women constituted 78.5% of the victims of offenses committed in a conjugal context. This percentage does not provide any details about the origin, socio-occupational status, and the cultural or religious affiliation of these women. Still, it does indicate that they make up the majority of the victims.

In this work, I was particularly interested in immigrant women who came to settle in Quebec for family, humanitarian, political or professional reasons. In addition to facing the challenges inherent in the immigration process and their status as foreigners, these women are further weakened by the violence suffered at the hands of their spouses. In 2009, about 4% of immigrant women reported experiencing intimate partner violence (National Institute of Public Health, 2016). This percentage is significant, especially since these are victims who have disclosed or reported the abuse that they suffered to the competent authorities. This tells me that these statistics are likely subject to upward modification as, in some conjugal circles, the victims have not reported because of language barriers, lack of knowledge of institutions, certain intervention practices that are not adapted to their realities, etc. Indeed, through my professional experience as an intervention worker, I was able to identify considerable limits of the intervention practices promoted in the context of intimate partner violence among immigrant women. When these women request services in order to receive support and care, they face other, more difficult challenges, because there are institutional, cultural and professional barriers, among others, which paralyze their relationship with the interveners.

GOAL OR RESEARCH QUESTION :

This thesis proposes a critical and analytical look at theoretical models or approaches and the intervention practices developed in the field of intimate partner violence in ethnocultural communities or both.

The initial question that I asked myself is this: are intervention practices promoted in the context of conjugal violence, which stem from theoretical approaches and models, adapted to the socio-cultural reality of immigrant women?

OBJECTIVES :

The multiple objectives identified through this thesis are encapsulated around these points:

• rovide some descriptive elements regarding the diversity of immigrant populations that require policies, programs, and practices adapted to their socio-cultural realities.
• Identify the representations of immigrants on the problem of conjugal violence and other related issues.
• Based on the above objectives, formulate new strategies of thoughts and actions for better participatory and inclusive management of this social issue.

METHODOLOGY :

The construction of this thesis is based largely on my experience as an intern and intervention worker in a shelter for female victims of intimate partner violence. Inspired by the various activities in which I took part through the project initiated by the organization, the main objective of the thesis is to reflect, in a concerted manner, on the possibilities of improving access to services for the immigrant population.

I was able to collect data thanks to my involvement with the advisory committee. I participated in the distribution and analysis of the survey submitted to immigrants, its main objective being their representation of intimate partner violence and the services offered to them. I had the opportunity to do some semi-structured interviews with some immigrant women. Observant participation, which is a data collection technique used in qualitative research, has been used to confirm or refute some of our findings.

Analysis: the data collected were combined and analyzed in order to understand the immigrant’s perspective on conjugal violence and to propose more appropriate intervention practices for this clientele.

WORK PROGRESS :

This thesis will lead to doctoral research on the issue of conjugal violence among older immigrant women.

COMMUNICATIONS :

PUBLICATIONS :

Fane, F., St-Pierre, L. et Péloquin, A-J. (2017). Rédaction de guide de pratique.

Fane, F. et Beaulieu, M. (2018). Rapport de recherche. Rapport des analyses qualitatives. Document inédit.

Fanta, F. (2018). La violence conjugale dans les communautés ethnoculturelles : regards croisés entre théories et pratiques d’intervention (Essai de maîtrise). Faculté des lettres et sciences humaines, École de travail social, Université de Sherbrooke, 91p.