"Women under the radar": the intersection of migration and domestic violence explored through the framework of "(un)deservingness"

Abstract

Victims of domestic violence may commonly be constructed as ‘deserving’ of state support, however the intersection of migration and domestic violence complicates such matters, often rendering migrant women with an irregular immigration status as ‘undeserving’. This thesis bridges the gap between literatures on migration and domestic violence by using the framework of ‘(un)deservingness’ to explore the lives of women with an irregular immigration status who experience domestic violence. Interviews were conducted with women with an irregular immigration status, primarily focusing on those who overstay their visas, as well as professionals who provide support to women. Drawing on interview data, the thesis explores the nuanced ways in which the intersection of migration and domestic violence plays out in the lives of women. It considers how abusive partners use the label and political context around having an irregular immigration status in the UK, as a tool to exacerbate the domestic violence. By focusing on lived experiences, the study also draws attention to women’s fears in managing the complexity around holding this immigration status in their daily lives. Moreover, the thesis explores the structural violence and other barriers which this sub-group of migrant women encounter when seeking support, which is often shaped by their social position and the nature of their immigration status, particularly for those who have No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF). The NRPF label signals that the state construes such women as ‘undeserving’, and this has very real consequences particularly in the context of domestic violence