Domestic Violence as a Basis for Asylum: An Analysis of 206 Case Outcomes in the United States from 1994 to 2012

At age fourteen, Ms. N, a Salvadoran national, met her boyfriend, who was five years her senior. After Ms. N moved in with him, the abuse and controlling behavior started including physical violence as well as emotional abuse and threats. Her boyfriend prevented Ms. N from leaving the house and having contact with relatives and friends. After Ms. N gave birth to their son, the abuse worsened. Her boyfriend beat her with his fists, his feet, and his belt. Ms. N’s grandmother attempted to intervene to no avail, including seeking help from the Salvadoran judicial system. Her attempts produced only threats on her life from Ms. N’s boyfriend and his family. On one occasion, Ms. N felt so desperate and alone, she tried to commit suicide. She feared reporting the abuse to the police, because she knew stories of other women who had tried to report abuse—instead of receiving help, they faced retaliation from their abusers. After enduring two years of horrific violence and intimidation, Ms. N left El Salvador in 2010 to save her life. After Ms. P, a native of Kenya, gave birth to their third son, her husband began to control all aspects of her life, forcing her to quit her job and inflicting severe and routine physical and sexual abuse. He beat her in public and at home, leaving scars and, on at least one occasion, permanent injuries. When Ms. P’s husband became involved with another woman, the beatings intensified, and he infected Ms. P with syphilis and gonorrhea. The medication Ms. P took to cure the infections caused a miscarriage of their fourth child. Ms. P’s husband also threatened to kill her. When Ms. P went to her parents’ town, her husband came looking for her. Although the