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Description
The refugee population in the United States is on the rise, with an estimated number of 70 thousand refugees traveling into the country every year, specifically, 69,930 in 2013. In the time before refugees escape their country, they experience chaos and social disruption in their homeland. When refugees begin to settle into their new host countries, they are faced with the challenge of adapting to new values and belief systems. One significant challenge refugee communities face is the prevalence of domestic violence. Female refugees often experience domestic violence from their husbands or intimate partners, who are typically from the same culture. Sources of social support for domestic violence victims exist through organizations whose missions are to help refugees survive in the face of violence. Individuals who work as volunteers or in paid positions at these organizations engage in a unique type of work, as they communicate through the rewards and challenges they face daily. This thesis research is designed to explore the trajectory of emotion labor of human service workers as they communicate with refugee women who are victims of domestic violence. This thesis employs qualitative research methods to observe, and conduct interviews, with human service workers. Narrative analysis provides rich descriptions of the trajectory of emotion labor that human service workers experience. In particular, the results reveal specific challenges, authentic emotions, forms of emotion display, and emotion residue human service workers experience as they communicate with their clients. Keywords: domestic violence, refugee, human service worker, emotion labor
