Safer communities
Researching strategies to address family violence in South Asian communities
As a probation officer in Abbotsford for seven years, Gary Thandi gained experience working with South Asian males who had been placed on a court order for family violence. Working closely with these men made Thandi realize that many of the services provided to this population lacked awareness of cultural differences. “I began thinking, Is this the best way to help this population? Should we be doing things differently?” recalls Thandi.
In 2009, while working as a counsellor at DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society, Thandi heard about a new JIBC Centre for the Prevention and Reduction of Violence (CPRV) project called “A Process of Discovery”. The exploratory project in JIBC’s Office of Applied Research is looking at the development of effective prevention and intervention strategies for male perpetrators of intimate partner violence. Given that the project involves research with frontline practitioners in Lower Mainland South Asian communities, Thandi immediately wanted to be involved.
Now a sessional researcher in the JIBC Office of Applied Research, Thandi explains his role in the project: “I interviewed 17 frontline workers in the Lower Mainland to find out about their experiences working with South Asian men. We did the math on it and they have, combined, about 200 years of direct experience working with assaultive South Asian men. In these interviews, we were able to find out what they perceive as most effective in working with these men. It really is all about pulling out their experiential knowledge.”
The interviews gave the CPRV team a foundation for determining more effective prevention and intervention strategies for male perpetrators of intimate partner violence in South Asian communities. The interviews also confirmed the importance of cultural awareness, says Thandi, who has a Master’s in Social Work from Dalhousie University. “Intervening into situations where there is domestic partner violence in South Asian homes should be done in a culturally respective way. We will take our knowledge of South Asian culture and the experiences we are gathering from the frontline workers in order to inform policy and change the way we work with these men.”
One change Thandi would like to see is earlier intervention. “It takes too long for them to get help. These men often go home before treatment or intervention has begun and this makes it more difficult to rehabilitate their behaviour. The earlier we intervene, the more effective we will be in modifying behaviour.”
While the research is still underway, Thandi is already seeing opportunities to translate the research into curriculum at JIBC – in areas such as the Centre for Counselling & Community Safety and Corrections & Community Justice Division – and in community organizations. “This research will allow non-profit organizations and community agencies to look at gaps in their service, and hopefully do something to address these gaps.”
With funding from the R. Howard Webster Foundation and support from the former BC Institute against Family Violence, the Centre for the Prevention & Reduction of Violence builds on the experience of frontline practitioners and translates that applied research into curriculum, programming, policy and theory. Through Thandi’s work, in January 2011 JIBC was awarded a $7,500 grant from the Federal Department of Justice to conduct a community-based workshop on intimate partner violence.
The Office of Applied Research works closely with JIBC schools on many research projects that inform the Institute’s education programs and guide community organizations.
Last updated February 24, 2011
