Bienvenidos! Encuentro Latino is now an online clearinghouse for information on Latinos and domestic violence and an educational space for students.

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1 Encuentro Latino is now an online clearinghouse for information on Latinos and domestic violence and an educational space for students. Bienvenidos! Encuentro ENCUENTRO Latino LATINO has HAS a new A NEW focus... FOCUS... Encuentro Latino is excited to announce a change in the way that we will be providing technical assistance. Earlier this year we made a difficult decision not to pursue a renewal of our funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Social Services. Therefore, at the beginning of 2012 we will now be serving as an online clearinghouse for information on domestic violence and Latinos. To achieve this end, we will continue to maintain our current resources as well as adding new resources as they become available. We are excited to announce that we have many new additions to our online resources - please see the insert in this newsletter for more details. Encuentro Latino will also be serving as an online educational space for students. We will be providing these resources as an all volunteer organization. We are confident that with our amazing and dedicated Advisory Board that Encuentro Latino will be a resource that domestic violence advocates and students will continue to depend on in the years to come. We would also like to thank all of you for helping to make Encuentro Latino such a success over the past few years. It is your commitment to making your agencies more culturally competent that will truly make a difference in how family violence services are delivered to Latino survivors. In that spirit, we encourage all of you to continue to pursue the ideal of family violence services that promote, strengthen, and build on the strengths within the Latino culture. It is truly our hope that one day all family violence-based services will be able to be delivered in a culturally competent manner for Latinos in our country. Again, thanks to all who have supported us and helped us to be the great success that Encuentro Latino became. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors. ADVISORY BOARD ADVISORY BOARD Cynthia Bejarano, NMSU, Criminal Justice Veronica Carmona, Colonias Development Council Ivan de la Rosa, NMSU, Social Work Dolores Diaz, Survivor and Advocate Ernesto Escoto, OSU Student Life Counseling and Consultation Services Graciela Laguna, Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence Juan Jose Lara, Jr., Texas Advocacy Project Claudia Medina, Enlace Comunitario Pat Acosta, La Casa Inc. Sonia Parras Konrad, ASISTA Sylvia Sapien, La Clinica de Familia Keahi Kimo Souza, Jemez Pueblo Behavioral Health Director Gloria Terry, Texas Council on Family Violence Michelle Toledo, Georgia Latin@s Against Domestic Violence Olga Trujillo, Olga Trujillo Consulting Jorge Ungo, Pacific Interpreters Rebecca Usoroh, Peace at Home Shelter, Inc.

2 In Memoriam Gina Orona-Ruiz Director of Training and Technical Assistance We are saddened to announce the passing of Gina Orona-Ruiz in May of this year at 44 years of age. She struggled valiantly against leukemia while continuing to work as Executive Director of La Casa, Inc, a domestic violence shelter in southern New Mexico, and as Encuentro Latino's Director of Training and Technical Assistance. She will be remembered as an untiring and dedicated advocate for victims of domestic violence. She received recognition nationwide and statewide for being an expert in the domestic violence movement and was relied upon for her vast knowledge of everything related to domestic violence. She was known for her sense of humor, compassion, intelligence, and her ability to motivate others. She will be greatly missed! We hope others will continue to advance the cause of providing culturally competent domestic violence services in her legacy. Did you know? In 2006, Hispanics were much less likely to have graduated from high school. 58.7% of Hispanic males had graduated from high school, as compared to 83.5% for the general population. Similarly, 61.7% of Hispanic females had graduated from high school versus 84.6% of the general population. Disparities were also seen in median earnings, with Hispanic males earning $27,490 and Hispanic females earning $24,738 as compared to $42,210 for all males and $32,649 for all females. Resources still available on Website & itunesu We are happy to announce that we will continue to maintain our online resources both on our website as well as our newly created public course for audiocasts on itunesu. Encuentro Latino will now function as a clearinghouse for information on Latinos and domestic violence for professionals and students. Available on our website for download are all of our PowerPoints, conference handouts, articles, web resources, and web links to other organizations and agencies that work with and for Latinos. Our itunesu public course has a variety of short audiocasts (5-8 minutes each) that cover many different topics related to providing culturally competent services for the Latino population. These audiocasts are perfect for the busy professional or student who would like to learn more about domestic violence services with Latinos. We are very excited about this new addition to our resources. Please see the insert included in this newsletter for a complete listing of our online resources and instructions for accessing out itunesu audiocasts. Encuentro Latino December 2011

3 Encuentro Latino is now an online clearinghouse for information on Latinos and domestic violence and an educational space for students. Online Resources New Material (Coming Soon!) Latinos and Domestic Violence in Rural Areas (Training Curriculum) Report from our Needs Survey of Domestic Violence Shelters Fact Sheet on Latinos and Domestic Violence (Spanish and English) Barriers to Leaving an Abusive Relationship (Handout in Spanish and English) Conducting Culturally Competent Research (PowerPoint) Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence (PowerPoint) History and Uses of Terminology for the Latino Population (PowerPoint) Teen Dating Violence (PowerPoint) VAWA Immigration Relief (PowerPoint) Hispanic Mothers (PowerPoint) Religion and the Latina Domestic Violence Victim (PowerPoint) Leadership Development (PowerPoint) Safety Planning Guidelines (in English and Spanish) Working with Latina Women Exposed to Domestic Violence (Research Report) The Latina Survivor of Domestic Violence: Report from Focus Groups with Latina Survivors Language Access Overview & Best Practices for Working with Interpreters (for providers) Sus Derechos (LEP information for survivors) Mejores Practicas Para el Uso de un Interprete (for survivors) Latino LGBT Survivors of Domestic Violence Resource List Resiliency and Social Support Among Mexican-American DV Survivors (article) ADVISORY BOARD itunesu Audiocasts Instructions for Accessing the itunesu Audiocasts: 1. Log in to itunes (you must have itunes installed on your computer first) 2. Search for itunesu Encuentro Latino 3. The audiocasts will appear under our logo In order to access through the internet (no itunes required), go to: Audiocasts Available on itunesu Assessment with Immigrant Clients Latino Immigrants - Demographics and Diversity Acculturation Issues in Latinos Community Organizing The Latino Terminology Debate Looking at Trauma Through Culturally Diverse Lenses Religion, Spirituality, and Traditional Healing for Latinos The Violence Against Women Act What Does it Mean to be Bilingual Enough? Alternative Healing Pratices to Treat Trauma Barriers to Services for Latinos Assessing Preparedness to Offer DV Services to Latinos

4 On Website Now Following is a list of PowerPoints that can be currently viewed and/or downloaded from latinodv.org: Acculturation Alternative Healing Practices Nuestra Raices (Our Roots): Working with the Latina Victim Resiliency and Social Support Looking at Trauma through Culturally Diverse Lens Organizando la Comunidad (en Espanol) Promotoras: Advocates at Their Best Rural Community Outreach Working with Latina Women Who have been Exposed to Domestic Violence What Does it Mean to be Bilingual Enough? Recommendations for Providing Effective Bilingual Services Did you know? Our website is available in Spanish and English, as well as many of our documents and PowerPoints. We are currently working to translate more of our materials so that they can be used with monolingual Spanish speaking clients and staff. We see this as being a very important aspect of providing culturally competent services and we encourage you to use them with your staff and clients so that they can learn from materials that have been translated into their native language. Other resources currently available online 2009 Conference Handouts: Assessing Readiness to Serve Latino Clients Family and Social Support in Domestic Violence Engaging and Mobilizing Latino Communities The Latino Paradox: The Role of Acculturation and Ethnic Identity Rural Community Outreach and Prevention Serving Deaf Survivors - Philosophy, Best Practices, and Reality What Does it Mean to be Bilingual Enough? Recommendations for Providing Effective Bilingual Services Disposable People: Issues in Human Trafficking Materials from the 2011 Conference: Abused Latina Women s Perception of their Post-Divorce Adjustment Identifying Victims of Trafficking Improving Access for Latinos in the Courts Overcoming Myths and Barriers Living with Dissociative Identity Disorder Introduction to Helping Immigrant Survivors Get Secure Status: U Visas and VAWA Ensuring Immigrant Survivors the Status They Need: Don't Take No for an Answer The U Visa: A Tool for Law Enforcement, Immigrant Victims of Crimes, and Those Who Work With Them Encuentro Latino December 2011

5 The Impact of Local Police Enforcement of Immigration Laws on Victims of Domestic Violence In light of the recent controversy surrounding Arizona s immigration reform related bill, SB 1070, and other anti-immigrant legislation such as Georgia s proposed screening of parents for immigration status when enrolling children in school, it is important to reflect on and be aware of the impact this type of legislation can have on victims of domestic violence. The increase in the screening of suspected undocumented immigrants can give an abuser more mechanisms of control when the victim of the violence is undocumented. The abuser can use this as an excuse to further isolate or to threaten the victim. The SB 1070 bill may make the victim feel that it is even more dangerous to leave or seek help from the police as law enforcement officers are the very ones that will be screening for undocumented immigrants. Undocumented victims of domestic violence may be left feeling increased apprehension and reluctance to seek help from law enforcement possibly in the time that they would need it the most. Domestic violence service providers should be aware of these possible impacts on reporting and help-seeking behavior, as well as likely reluctance to seek public benefits, and reach out to this community accordingly. Serving Clients with Limited English Proficiency Title VI of the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits recipients of federal funds from discriminating against individuals on the basis of national origin. Discrimination includes policies or practices that inhibit equal access to a recipient s program and activities for individuals of limited English proficiency. The CLAS Standards were developed by the US Department of Health and Human Services to offer guidance to recipients of federal funds on Title VI compliance. The following are just 4 of the 14 standards: Standard 4 Organizations must offer and provide language assistance services, including bilingual staff and interpreter services, at no cost to each client with limited English proficiency at all points of contact, in a timely manner during all hours of operation. Congratulations to our award winners who were acknowledged at our 2011 conference: Lifetime Acheivment Award Flor Giusti Advocate of the Year Ramona Peralta Standard 5 Organizations must provide to clients in their preferred language both verbal offers and written notices informing them of their right to receive language assistance services. Standard 6 Organizations must assure the competence of language assistance provided to limited English proficient clients by interpreters and bilingual staff. Family and friends should not be used to provide interpretation services (except on request by the patient/consumer). Standard 7 Organizations must make available easily understood educational materials and post signage in the languages of the most commonly encountered groups and/or groups represented in the service area. Flor Giusti, Madeline Gillette, and Ramona Peralta

6 Question: What do Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Nevada, North Carolina, Utah, and Virginia all have in common? Answer: Together they make up the 16 states with the fastest growing Hispanic populations. All of these states had Hispanic population growth rates over 40% from 2000 to Also of note is that at 176%, Luzerne County, PA had the highest growth rate of all counties. Because of their fast growing Hispanic populations, Encuentro Latino has targeted these 16 states for intensive training and technical assistance to build their capacity to work with Latinos experiencing domestic violence. The above information is from U.S. Census Bureau s publication Hispanics in the U.S. Did you know? Hispanic populations increased to more than twice their size since 2000 in at least 1 in every 4 counties. More than half of the growth in the total population of the United States between 2000 and 2010 was due to the increase in the Hispanic population. About three-quarters of Hispanics reported as Mexican, Puerto Rican, or Cuban origin in the 2010 Census. Source: 2010 U.S. Census Encuentro Latino National Institute on Family Violence MSC 3SW New Mexico State University PO Box Las Cruces, NM Encuentro Latino is a collaborativ e project between the NMSU School of Social Work and La Casa, Inc. Encuentro Latino December 2011