Exploration of Immigrant Fathers’ Parenting Experiences Following an Offence Against an Intimate Partner Violence: A Narrative Inquiry

Abstract

To date, our understanding of the parenting experiences of immigrant fathers with a history of intimate partner violence (IPV) is severely limited. Given the cultural considerations and circumstances of immigration associated with IPV and recent emergence of separate interventions for immigrant offenders, generating insight into these fathers’ experiences is essential to support these men in their role as parents. The purpose of this narrative study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the parenting experiences of immigrant fathers with a history of IPV based on the collection of their stories. The participants included seven immigrant fathers ranging in age from 30 to 62 who were attending or had previously completed group IPV treatment in a Western Canadian province. All participants had at least one biological child under the age of 18. The majority of fathers lived with their children and had some form of contact with them at the time of their first interview. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant in which they were asked to share their parenting stories and experiences. A second interview was completed with a subset of two participants to ensure their stories were accurately represented. Fathers’ narratives illustrated co-parenting challenges and stressors post-IPV, characteristics of “good” fatherhood, as well as the role of culture in shaping fathers’ understanding of familial relationships and gender roles. For some, children served as a motivator toward change and rehabilitation, whereas others did not acknowledge any changes in their parenting relationship post-IPV. Findings are discussed in relation to implications for IPV treatment with immigrant populations and future directions for research are identified. Recommendations for practitioners which integrate findings from this study in the context of the existing model of service delivery for offenders of IPV are also provided.