Asylum System Fails Women Facing Violence (New Book 📚 + Event 📆)
A powerful new book by Professors Carol Cleaveland and Michele Waslin, examines stories of trauma, neglect, and resilience among women seeking asylum in the U.S. immigration system.
Private Violence: Latin American Women and the Struggle for Asylum is a powerful look at the lives of Latin American women seeking asylum in the U.S. after fleeing domestic abuse and gang violence. Written by two incredible scholars I’ve had the privilege to know personally, Carol Cleaveland and Michele Waslin, the book dives into the harsh reality these women face, not just in their home countries but also in navigating the U.S. legal system. Carol and Michele argue that gender-based violence should be seen as legitimate grounds for asylum — something the system too often fails to do.
If you’re in the Baltimore or DC area, don’t miss the chance to meet Carol in person this Wednesday at her book event with me at Greedy Reads. Details below.
One of the central issues in the book is how U.S. asylum law isn’t really designed to handle cases of "private violence"—violence from partners or gangs—which leaves women vulnerable. The authors explain how the legal system tends to see these cases as personal or “domestic”, not political, even when the stakes for these women are life or death. Teresita’s story in the book, for example, shows just how hard it is to escape an abusive partner in Honduras, only to face a long, grueling legal process in the U.S. that forces her to relive the trauma.
The book also highlights the emotional toll the asylum process takes on women like Guadalupe, whose father was killed by gangs in El Salvador. After risking everything to get to the U.S., these women are stuck in legal limbo, having to prove their need for protection in a system that doesn’t always understand their situation. Carol and Michele do a great job of breaking down why this happens and what needs to change – one of the most cogent perspectives on this topic I’ve read in a long time.
What I appreciate most about Private Violence is that it doesn’t just focus on the heavy legal analysis. It brings out the deeply human stories that make you realize just how resilient these women are. Teresita, Guadalupe, and others somehow find the strength to keep going, even when the odds are against them. Some are eventually granted asylum, and their victories remind us that there is hope, even in such a broken system.
Read Carol and Michele’s recent articles in Ms. Magazine: “There Can Be No Debate Over Asylum” and “Why Women Will Be Hardest Hit by President Biden’s Executive Order.”
Having known both Carol and Michele, I can personally attest to the depth of their work and dedication. Carol’s perspective is particularly valuable since, as a social worker, she brings a compassionate clinical perspective that is largely left out of the policy narratives that are often shaped by legal experts, policy wonks, and activists.
This book is a must-read for anyone interested in immigration, gender justice, or the challenges faced by asylum seekers. It’s accessible, thought-provoking, and forces us to confront the ways we fail to protect the most vulnerable. If you want a deeper understanding of the U.S. asylum process and the women who fight their way through it, Private Violence is definitely worth reading.
For further reading, check out “Plaintiff S99: Rewriting Refugee Law Through a Trauma-Informed Lens” written by Jessica Hambly and Neeraja Sanmuhanathan published in Refugee Survey Quarterly. Although the article focuses on the Australian asylum context, the article is applicable to the U.S. context, as well, and illustrates just how pervasive refugee women’s experiences are.
Order “Private Violence” Today
The book will be released tomorrow on October 15, 2024. You can pre-order it now through the NYU Press, Greedy Reads in Baltimore, or on Amazon. (And if you’re curious, click here —> to learn why pre-ordering books matters.)
Carol Cleaveland Book Discussion in Baltimore
Please join Carol and me at the Greedy Reads location in Remington (in Baltimore) across from R. House Wednesday, October 16, to hear more about these stories and the authors’ in-depth research on the asylum system, gender violence, and what can be done to support these women. This conversation will not only offer an inside look at the book’s key themes but also provide an opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions about how we can collectively address these issues.
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