Domestic Violence is a pattern of assaultive and coercive behaviors, including physical, sexual and psychological attacks as well as economic coercion that adults or adolescents use against their intimate partners.
Anyone can be a victim… victims can me of any age, sex race, culture, religion, education, employment or marital status…
The goal of the Hermanas Unidas Program is to empower victims and survivors of domestic violence to live a life free of violence by helping them increase their self esteem through education, guidance and support.
Our program offers the following services:
- Crisis intervention
- Support and advocacy through/with police and court proceedings
- Peer support groups
- Group educational sessions
- Community education
- Information and referrals for food, clothing and medical care
- Service coordination with other agencies
- Limited transportation and interpretation
Group bilingual sessions and one-on-one appointments are available depending on each woman’s individual need. Each person involved in the Hermanas Unidas Program participates in 12 educational classes. Our curriculum is based on the Domestic Abuse Project curriculum and is adapted as necessary to be culturally sensitive and appropriate. Topics covered include self-esteem, the types of domestic violence, their causes and effects, safety planning, the power and control wheel, the legal system, communication skills and strategies for gaining independence and empowerment.
Facts that interfere with Latina women openness to seek help:
- A Latina who can’t keep her family together is considered a failure. She may stay with an abusive husband or not disclose her situation to relatives in order to keep up appearances.
- Misinterpretation of religious values may convince her that their abusive partner is ‘their cross to bear’. Family members may be particularly unsympathetic when a Latina tries to leave their abusive relationship.
- Latinas without economic resources must often rely on public service providers. Yet police and others who attend them seldom offer culturally sensitive response or Spanish language assistant.
- A batterer who is a US citizen may manipulate and control his immigrant wife by threatening to have her deported if she complains about his violence. He may coerce her to stay with the empty promise of giving her residency papers.
- In some Latin American countries a law called ‘abandono de hogar’ punishes women who leave their homes, even to flea violence. Women convicted of ‘abandoning the home’ often lost custody of their children. Some women who immigrate to this country often think that this law applies here.
- Most immigrant women don’t know that domestic violence is a crime.
For more information on Domestic Violence please see the following websites:
National Domestic Violence Hotline: http://www.ndvh.org/
Ohio Domestic Violence Network: http://www.odvn.org |
