Unmasking Intimate Relationship Abuse on Immigrants

The myth in the so-called third-world countries is that domestic violence and abuse (DVA) are not prevalent in developed countries. Is this true? Allow me to demystify this by unmasking how domestic Violence is played out in Europe, particularly in a country like Germany, where l reside. Immigrants in Germany come from different ethnic groups; their backgrounds and cultural norms and traditions vary. Migrating is never an easy process. The migrant family and friends ties are broken, they leave behind familiar environments and encounter cultural differences, language barriers and discrimination. Migrations occur for different reasons. Some have fled difficult situations such as wars and other catastrophes. Others migrate for education purposes, as expatriates or for family reunification. Still, many more are drawn by the economic opportunities available to them. However, today’s article is about unmasking abusers and how they use the immigration status of their intimate partners to violate their dignity. Even though legislation in Germany is in place and has created immigration status for victims of domestic violence, there is still a significant problem within most intimate relationships that must be addressed. Domestic Violence Abusers ( native Germans or permanent residents of Germany) use their privileged position to physically or non-physically abuse their targeted partners.

Domestic Violence is an authoritarian pattern of abusive behaviour. It is all about power and control. The Abuser desires to gain control and maintain that power over their intimate immigrant partner by all means, at all times, in the present and the future. The immigrant victim could be a current marital or ex-marital partner, a current or ex-dating partner, or a relative staying in the same home. It involves physical force or other non-physical abuses to the targeted victim.

The dynamics of domestic Violence in intimate immigrant relationships are as follows:

• HOSTING PRIVILEGES-The Abuser will use the power of their hosting(  signature) to deny their intimate partner from receiving their citizenship or residency permits. How? They will fail to accompany their intimate partner to file documents and register the marriage. In cases where they were married outside the host country, Germany, somebody must be registered at the registry office “Stadtamt”.The marriage date stamped on the marriage certificate becomes the official certified date when applying for citizenship or residency permits after three to five years. The applicable date determines qualification, amongst other legal factors, regardless of whether the two were married in another country for many years. (a critical point to note.). Most abusive partners will also use their privileged citizenship or residency position to withdraw the registered documents, request visa cancellation, and give up their hosting accommodation responsibilities. This renders the victim homeless and illegal, forced to leave the country willingly or be deported. The partner must register the accommodation residence address even when there is no marriage but a visiting permit/visa.
• DEPORTATION THREATS:-The abuser will constantly threaten to report their intimate partner to the immigration authorities boasting that without their signatory, the victim has no right to stay or speak, and they can have them deported at the click of a finger. The common threats are that the authorities will not listen to the victim. In most cases, the victim will accept the lie since they might not speak the language or know their legal rights or official regulations in Germany, e.g., booking appointments, e.t.c.Threatening to withdraw the petition to legalize the victim’s immigration status is a powerful, regularly used,non-physical domestic violence tool. Its effects are dangerous, with a lot of emotional and psychological stress on the victims, leading to mental and physical health issues and, in some cases, suicides.
• ECONOMIC ABUSE:_The immigrant victim is forcefully not allowed to learn the German language by not attending formal language classes or not getting a working skill through job training(Ausbildung). This is a calculated, deliberate form of isolation. It forces the victim to depend economically on their Abuser for food, shelter, clothing and medical care. As a result, the immigrant victim remains naive, illiterate and ignorant. Integrating into society is second to impossible. Another form of economic abuse is the victim being forced to work illegally without a work permit. The Abuser uses this option mainly so they may pay lesser taxes and even receive social benefits from the government. This is usually detrimental to the victim because in the future, when applying for permanent residency or German citizenship, they are disqualified by many factors, for example; they have never worked, paid taxes or passed the introductory compulsory German integration course and a minimum of the language grade; B1. The Abuser also uses forced illegal labour as a weapon to threaten to report the victim to the immigration offices.
  In most cases, the victim’s forced labour salary pays for food and other housing utility bills. In other cases, where the victim legally works, the Abuser controls the victim’s paycheck and all purchases. The Abuser also coerces the victim to sign up for loans forcing the victim to pay all liabilities or get bad credit points with the banks for non-payment of loans. As a result, the victim’s present and future reputations are destroyed.
  In most cases, other social benefits like children’s benefits (Kindergeld) are withheld by the Abuser. Domestic violence abusers are modern-day financial vampires. (Read my articles on financial abuse).
• (See Article Part 2 for continuation on other forms of immigrant intimate partner abuse)