Violence against women and suicide in the context of migration: A review of the literature and a call for action

Domestic violence and other forms of violence against women and coercion are well known to be substantial and widespread, with women more likely than men to be abused by partners and other family members. Domestic violence is a major precipitating factor for suicide, and ethnic minority, immigrant and refugee women are at higher risk for suicidal behaviour. This article reviews literature about suicide and domestic violence among ethnic minorities, immigrants and refugees to examine the relationship between the two. Further, it presents a ‘call for action’ for academics, policy makers and service providers engaged in suicide prevention. Higher risk of being victim of violence, additional forms of violence (immigration-related abuse), and greater barriers to seeking help, contribute to make women from immigrant and refugee backgrounds particularly vulnerable to suicidal behaviour. While violence against women is now widely recognized as a significant global problem, a major public health issue, and one of the most widespread violations of human rights, suicidal behaviour among immigrant women has received limited attention as a public health concern, and even less as a human/women’s right issue. Suicide prevention must be addressed as a public health issue, and it is time for suicide to be considered also as a women and human rights issue.