Like a bird in a cage - Vietnamese women survivors talk about domestic violence

In recent years, a growing literature has emerged that explores the role of culture in domestic violence for ethnic minority populations, including inmigrants and refugees. This article presents qualitative data collected front Vietnamese refugee women through a research project in partnership with the Refugee Women's Alliance in Seattle, Washington. Through the women's stories, their own self-awareness of domestic violence as Vietnamese women residing in the United States is available for reflection and review. Issues of acculturation, changing gender rates, examples of strength, and cultural persistence constitute the thematic structure within which these women articulate their needs for creating and sustaining a life free of abuse for themselves and their children.