Seeking protection and asserting your rights after domestic abuse can be a difficult and exhausting process. For foreign-born women, it can also involve specific forms of discrimination, on top of existing legal and institutional barriers. One familiar example is the accusation that “she’s lying to get immigration papers”, something most have heard before. In this article, WFWF looks at a myth that is all too familiar to domestic abuse experts.
“She’s lying to get immigration papers”: a claim used to control and discredit victims
Perpetrators accused of domestic abuse commonly try to turn the situation against their victims. This is part of a broader strategy known as DARVO, an acronym referring to Denying the abuse, Attacking the victim and Reversing the roles of Victim and Offender.
When the victim is a foreign-born woman, this manipulation often takes a particular form: accusing her of “lying to get immigration papers”. The aim is to undermine her credibility, portray her as being at fault and divert attention away from the abuse she has been subjected to.
Perpetrators draw on racist and xenophobic prejudices that persist in society: “She used me to get immigration papers”, “She only wanted French nationality”. These accusations exploit a fear shared by many victims of domestic abuse: that they will not be believed. For foreign-national victims, there may be an additional fear: losing their residence permit or “titre de séjour”, or even being deported.
This attempt to discredit the victim is another weapon in the perpetrator’s arsenal of coercive control. It can isolate the victim by creating doubt around her, among friends and family, within institutions and even in the justice system.
Discrimination and the burden of suspicion
Research shows that foreign-born women’s accounts are more likely to be treated with suspicion. In some cases, authorities, people close to the victim and even the media may unconsciously repeat the perpetrator’s arguments: “Maybe she’s exaggerating so she can stay in France?”
Comments like these may appear innocuous, but they reflect a deeper bias: the testimony of a foreign-born woman is not always given the same weight. This, alongside other common barriers, means that foreign-national women are far less likely to file a complaint than victims born in France, as Women for Women France’s research has repeatedly shown.
Filing a complaint after domestic abuse takes considerable courage. Far from being an “immigration strategy”, it is a first step towards seeking protection through the justice system. Suspecting a victim of domestic abuse of lying can make it even harder for her to regain safety and independence.
It is also important to understand that foreign-national women are often more exposed to domestic abuse. Administrative dependence on a partner, language barriers, limited knowledge of their rights and the absence of a support network can all create vulnerabilities that perpetrators exploit to manipulate and threaten their victims. A typical threat is: “If you tell anyone, you’ll be deported.”
Believe, protect and support victims
“If perpetrators and their lawyers use this strategy, it is because they know it works within the French justice system as it currently operates. This is why Women for Women France is calling for mandatory training on unconscious bias for all judges handling cases involving violence against women,” says Sarah McGrath, Cheif Executive at Women for Women France.
We must reject this discriminatory rhetoric of suspicion and place responsibility where it belongs: with the perpetrator. Accusations of a “visa marriage” or of “using someone to get immigration papers” are well-known intimidation tactics that prolong fear, abuse and the deprivation of freedom.
Every woman, regardless of her country of origin, personal history or immigration status, has the right to safety, independence and justice. Believing victims brings us one step closer to equality.
Further reading
- “Reason to Disbelieve: Evaluating the Rape Claims of Women Seeking Asylum in the UK”, International Journal of Law in Context, by Baillot, Cowan & Munro.
Based on three years of research, this study shows that women seeking asylum who have experienced sexual violence face a double burden of suspicion: the suspicion already directed at victims of sexual violence – “she’s lying”, “she’s exaggerating” – combined with the suspicion directed at migrants – “she made it up to obtain residency rights”. - “The Right to be Believed”, King’s College London & LAWRS.
This research draws on interviews with more than 60 migrant women who had experienced abuse. Its main findings show that fear of not being believed because of immigration status is one of the principal barriers to reporting abuse; that more than a third of women who reported abuse said that the police did not believe them; and that fear of losing their residence permit or being deported can make victims even less likely to speak out.
If you recognise your own situation in this article and think you may be experiencing coercive control, services are available to support you, advise you and help you navigate the steps ahead. Most are free. Visit our Understanding domestic abuse page for a comprehensive, up-to-date guide available in 15 languages.
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- Emergency services (police, ambulance, fire): 112 (24/7)
- Multilingual Online Resource Centre for victims of domestic abuse and gender-based violence: www.womenforwomenfrance.org (24/7)
- Helpline for victims of domestic abuse and gender-based violence: 3919 (24/7)
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About WFWF
Women for Women France is the NGO dedicated to supporting and defending the rights of immigrants experiencing domestic abuse and gender-based violence in France.
WFWF is the creator and manager of the national Online Multilingual Online Resource Centre for all people confronted with domestic abuse and gender-based violence in France.
WFWF has a team of multi-disciplinary experts in France who monitor current events and laws and provide research-based insights and recommendations.