1. CHECKLIST OF BEHAVIORS THAT MAY INDICATE AN IMMIGRANT
WOMAN IN THE PROCESS OF BEING SPONSORED BY HER SPOUSE IS
EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
This list is only a sample of abusive behaviors. It focuses on some of the most common
forms of abuse some immigrant women experience during the sponsorship process In
Canada. However, every woman’s situation is unique. Discussing these behaviors with a
client is a way to start understanding her situation and what support she needs.
A woman’s abusive partner might:
• Push, shake, slap, choke or physically assault her in any way
• Destroy property when angry
• Yell or use abusive language when they are alone or in public
• Force her to have unwanted sexual activity (e.g., rape) or sexual harassment
• Threaten to hurt her or her children
• Threaten to destroy an object that is special to her
• Confine her or force her to stay at home if she wishes to visit friends or
relatives
• Threaten to tell her relatives or other community members that she is a bad
wife
• Humiliate and criticize her repeatedly in private or in public
• Undermine her self-confidence
• Stalk and harass her at her place of work in person or by phone
• Kill a pet in anger
• Hit children or lock them in a room or closet on their own
• Threaten to separate her from her children by leaving the country with the
children
• Convince her that she will be denied custody of the children if she leaves
the abusive relationship
• Try to destroy her relationship with her children
• Threaten to report her to the Children’s Aid Society as a child abuser
• Threaten to call welfare saying that she is receiving social assistance
illegally
• Threaten to have the police arrest her as the abusive partner (putting her at
risk of deportation)
• Deny her access to money, whether it is hers or his
• Prohibit her from learning to speak English or French
• Prevent her from working, attending school, or going to a place of worship
she has chosen
• Ridicule her religious beliefs
• Threaten to have her deported from Canada (separating her from her
children)
• Promise to sponsor her for permanent residence but never do so
• Threaten to withdraw his immigration sponsorship of her (if a sponsorship
is in process)

2. • Withdraw his sponsorship of her (while the sponsorship is in process)
because he is angry or wants to punish her
• Withhold her identification or other important documents
• Prevent her from attending social functions on her own
• Allow children to use drugs and alcohol
• Track her time
• Read or limit access to her mail
• Have affairs with other women but repeatedly and unfairly accuse her of
flirting with other men
• Get upset when she dresses up
• Threaten to hurt himself if she doesn’t do what he wants
This document is adapted from:
• Ontario Coalition of Agencies Serving Immigrants. Prevention of Domestic
Violence Against Immigrant and Refugee Women: Prevention Through
Intervention Training (Resource Book). September 2006.
• Community Legal Education Ontario. Do You Know a Woman Who is
Being Abused: A Legal Rights Handbook (Toronto: Community Legal
Education Ontario, 2008), online: Community Legal Education Ontario
http://www.cleonet.ca/instance.php?instance_id=635.