ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the literature that focuses on the different challenges affecting Latina immigrant women in domestic violence (DV) situations as they pursue protection from formal institutions, such as anti-DV agencies. It presents the intersectionality framework the authors utilize to examine the experiences of the study participants. Based on interviews with 14 undocumented immigrant Latina DV survivors and four anti-violence advocates from central Iowa as well as a focus group conducted with four DV survivors, the chapter examines the participants' accounts to illustrate interlocking systemic oppression. It shows the factors that arose through the accounts of the Latina immigrant women in the study, as well as those of the advocates, to demonstrate how illegality and other forms of marginalization permeate the lives of undocumented battered Latinas and aggravate their victimization even after they leave their abusers. Finally, the chapter provides the theoretical and practical implications of the study.
