Attitudes towards Sexual Violence in a Sri Lankan Immigrant Population: The Influence of Culture and Context

Abstract

Women who experience sexual violence are more likely to be diagnosed with a depressive, anxiety, trauma-related or substance use disorder than women who do not experience sexual violence (Kendler et al., 2000; Walsh et al., 2012). The negative mental health sequelae that are associated with experiences of sexual violence are related to the types of responses survivors receive from others (Carlson et al., 2002; Littleton, 2010). These responses are informed by attitudes towards sexual violence. Extant literature on Sri Lankan immigrant populations indicates that cultural and contextual factors interface to shape attitudes towards violence. Much of this research, however, has focused on domestic violence in general as opposed to sexual violence in particular. Thus, little is known about how culture and context interact to inform attitudes towards sexual violence in the Sri Lankan community in the United States. A qualitative methodology, guided by an ecological framework and South Asian feminist lens, was used to examine attitudes towards sexual violence among Sri Lankan immigrants in the United States. Participants consisted of 14 first-generation Sri Lankan immigrants. In semi-structured interviews, participants explicated 1) the cultural values and socialization patterns that they were exposed to in Sri Lanka, 2) their experiences of navigating Sri Lankan cultural values and socialization patterns in the United States, and 3) how cultural and contextual factors from pre- and post-migration contexts have interacted to inform views on sexual violence. The findings of the present study revealed that patriarchal socialization regarding gender roles, sex, and sexuality in Sri Lanka facilitates silence and stigmatization around sexual violence among Sri Lankans. The negotiation of these values within the post-migration context contributed to more progressive views on sexual violence. Participants did not support the presence of silence regarding sexual violence and, instead, encouraged survivors of sexual violence to seek help. They also recommended that survivors receive support from multiple sources (e.g., family, community, legal system). Implications for clinical practice, community level interventions and research are discussed.