Premium Essay

Domestic Violence in Latino Communities

In: Social Issues

Submitted By adelitam
Words 776
Pages 4
Domestic Violence in Latino Communities
While significant progress has been made, in recent decades, in raising awareness about the devastating effects of domestic violence, and many lives have been protected and saved, domestic violence continues at epidemic proportions. It continues to tear families apart regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, or economic background, leaving in its path physically, emotionally, and spiritually injured women, men, and children.
According to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control in February 2008 (Adverse Health Conditions and Health Risk Behaviors Associated with Intimate Partner Violence, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) one in four women is abused by a current or former spouse, partner or boyfriend at some point in her life. Another study by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics (Intimate Partner Violence in the United States) says that on average more than three women a day, in the United States, are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends.
Domestic violence is just as serious and damaging a problem in Latino communities as it is in other ethnic and racial groups. However, Latinas/os face particular obstacles and challenges to addressing domestic violence and require culturally and linguistically specific services and resources in order to adequately address the problem.
The shortage of bilingual and bicultural personnel, in shelters, in police departments, in the courts, and throughout the continuum of services, prevents access and adequate services for Latina survivors and their families. This can pose a further threat to their safety and often results in alienating survivors from the very services they so desperately need.
Fear of deportation, jeopardizing their legal status, or having their children removed are also primary concerns for immigrant women, which prevent them

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Working in the Field

...Annotated Bibliography BSHS/345 Diversity and Special Populations Annotated Bibliography Arab Culture: Learn about Arab etiquette and protocols. (2004). In Planet Egypt online. Retrieved from http://www.planetegypt.co.uk/samoora.shtml This article discusses the difference between Arab, Middle-Eastern and Muslim people. The author talks about the region in which a person is from, as well as language and religion is what determines which group one would identify with. The history and cultures of Arabic people are provided in this article. Cacho, L. M. (2001). Asian Americans. University of Hawaii Press The article discusses the relationships between Asian Americans and their families. The author explains how they have to deal with certain stereotypes in order to succeed in a place where they are Americans, but still considered to be foreigners. The article is a good resource for understanding how Asian Americans feel in a country where so many barriers are placed upon them. Caroll, S.R. (1994, December). Why poor black children succeed or fail. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from http://www.chicagotribune.com/africanamericancultue The conceptual article begins with the broad discussion about African American culture. It projects today’s youth and the inconsistency of what Americans idolize as equality in school systems. It discusses the present’s findings of family and individual studies that factor in the high and low achieving African-American students...

Words: 2515 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Domestic Violence In African American Women

...In today's society, people with different family backgrounds are facing various problems. Those problems could be either outside or inside of the home, that causes domestic violence. Women are especially the victim of the domestic violence. Most of the women who experience domestic violence are reluctant to express their voice because they are too afraid of the society. In most part of the world, women are affected by domestic violence. In the U.S., African American females experience intimate partner violence at a rate 35% higher than that of white females, and about 2.5 times the rate of women of other races ( Roberta Lee). Most of the women try to make an excuse for domestic violence because they are afraid of stereotype or the society....

Words: 996 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

The House On Mango Street Essay

...Sandra Cisneros’ novel, The House on Mango Street, is about Esperanza Cordero and her experiences growing up in a Latino neighborhood in Chicago. Esperanza is a young girl whose family has moved frequently. She observes the different families that live around her and their problems. She does not feel that she belongs in this neighborhood and yearns for a home of her own. Her parents, her, and her three siblings all sleep in one room. The families around her are poor and many of her neighbors dream of a better life. Her mother consistently tells her that when they win the lottery things will change. She tells Esperanza that education is important and, from her own experience, not to let pride stop her from completing school. Esperanza dreams...

Words: 1919 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Benefit Report

...OAKLAND OAKLAND OAKLAND Consolidated Community Benefit Plan 2012 Kaiser Foundation Hospital – Oakland Northern California Region KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL (KFH)-OAKLAND 280 West MacArthur Boulevard Oakland, CA 94611 (510) 752-1105 The KFH-Oakland service area includes Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, and Piedmont. COMMUNITY SNAPSHOT (*county-level data) Total population: Median age:* Average household income:* Percentage living in poverty: Percentage unemployed: Percentage uninsured: 633,114 36.1 $70,217 16.92% 8.92% 14.67% White: Latino: African American: Asian and Pacific Islander: Native American: Other: 32.41% 21.76% 21.12% 19.84% 0.33% 4.55% KEY STATISTICS Year opened: KFH full-time equivalent personnel: KFHP members in KFH service area: 1942 1,884.0 188,929 Total licensed beds: Inpatient days: Emergency room visits: 341 74,218 50,725 KEY LEADERSHIP AT KFH-OAKLAND Nathaniel L. Oubré, Jr. Belia Marshall, RN, MPA Dennis Morris John Loftus, MD Shirley Steinback Julie Hadnot Glenda Monterroza Senior Vice President and Area Manager Chief Operating Officer Area Finance Director Physician in Chief Medical Group Administrator Public Affairs Director Interim Community Benefit/Community Health Manager 227 Consolidated Community Benefit Plan 2012 Kaiser Foundation Hospital – Oakland Northern California Region THE 2010 COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT SUMMARY AND FINDINGS 2010 COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT (CHNA) SUMMARY The 2010...

Words: 7235 - Pages: 29

Premium Essay

Intimate Partner Violence

...Preventing Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) • Prevention is a process that promotes safe, healthy environments and behaviors that reduce the likelihood or frequency of an accident, injury, or condition occurring. • As evidenced by other health-related conditions, primary prevention (taking action before a problem arises) can successfully reduce or eliminate intimate partner violence. • Health care professionals are in a ideal position to use their influence and credibility to help prevent IPV o They can advocate for change in clinical practice, as well as for policies and procedures. o Because health care providers see IPV firsthand, they are particularly effective when speaking about the issue to legislators, the media, and to the public. (Cohen, et al., 2006, p. 89) Primary Prevention • Effective primary preventions will reduce the emotional, physical, and psychological trauma experienced as a result of IPV (Cohen, et al., 2005, p. 92). • Even when partners and spouses have been brought up in violent home with abusive families, they can learn to rechannel and control their emotions and behaviors and use appropriate coping strategies. • Opportunities for families and individuals to improve relationships with their partner or spouse usually begin with learning appropriate problem-solving skills. • Assertiveness skills for women provide a foundation for empowerment. • Parenting influences children in their coping strategies, decision making, and sense of self-confidence...

Words: 1286 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Rehabilitating Criminals

...Rehabilitating criminals can create a great deal of discussion. On one side people may say ‘why should we give them programs after they have harmed the community.’ On the other said those inmates are released back into the society. According to Office of Program Policy and Analysis & Government Accountability (OPPAGA), ‘90% of the inmates are sooner or later released from prison.’ Another reason for the rehabilitant programs and other treatment is because, “The department screens inmates entering the system, and has determined that over two- thirds (68%) have less than ninth grade literacy proficiency and most were unemployed before incarceration; over 60% of the inmates also have a history of substance abuse, and 16% have been diagnosed with some form of mental illness” (Corrections Rehabilitative Programs Effective, But Serve Only a Portion of the Eligible Population at a glance). These rehabilitating programs are meant to prepare the inmates before they are released back into the society. These programs are being set up and operating at different prison across the nation. One must unquestionably ask how much money is being spent on these programs. According to OPPAGA’s report, “In Fiscal Year 2006-07, the Legislature appropriated over $2.1 billion to the Department of Corrections; of this, $36.4 million or 1.7% of the agency budget, was allocated to correctional education and substance abuse programs. The department was unable to identify the level of funds allocated to...

Words: 966 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

C228

...1  Community Health (C228) Task 1 Megan Smith Student # ​ 000473853  October 10, 2015    Community Health Task 1         2  Communities are often what shape and instill a sense of belonging for people. One such  community is Northridge, which is a neighborhood located in the San Fernando Valley and is  part of Los Angeles County.  According to available data, there are 52,776 residents in  Northridge, and diversity is a key element.  A snapshot of Northridge can be seen as 49.5%  whites, hispanics/latinos 50.8%, Asians 14.5%, African Americans 5.4% and others 4.6%.  Along those lines, 7.6% are non­English speaking and a large percentage of these residents speak  languages other than English in the home. Families (married with children) make up 24.1% of  households with single parents accounting for 11.8% of the residents (Lacounty.gov).       Summary of Tools  Population Economic Status Assessment.​  The median household income for  Northridge in 2013 was $81,511, which is relatively high compared to the median income for  California which is $61,632 (Northridge Neighborhood).  While the median income is high, one  source of data states 20% ­ one in five residents­ of Los Angeles County receive public  assistance (L.A. Times. 20% in Los Angeles County Receive Public Aid). While specific data  could not be obtained for Northridge, in Los Angeles County (2011 Census) the birthrate was  130,312 and the death rate came in at 57,988, which means Los Angeles County as whole and its  ...

Words: 4217 - Pages: 17

Premium Essay

Sexual Assault And Interpersonal Violence

...central part of the United States, and twenty percent of students come from the west coast. Sexual assault and interpersonal violence happens to people regardless of ethnicity, race, gender, and culture. With 59% of Georgetown students identifying as Caucasian, 13% as Asian, 8% as African, and 7% as Latino, sexual assault and interpersonal...

Words: 1343 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Eth 316

...Community Profile Yer Gabul Ethics & Social Responsibility/ETH 316 06/12/2014 Community Profile I am profiling South Los Angeles (formerly known as South Central Los Angeles). South Los Angeles is famous for the 1992 Los Angeles riot. While there are famous historical landmarks in this area, it is mostly inhabited by low-income families. There are small business establishments, but most adults work for local merchants, small factories and assembly lines. Today, there are about 700,000 residents of which 55% are Latinos and 40% African-Americans. In the 1980s, widespread unemployment, poverty and street crime contributed to the rise of street gangs such as the “Crips” and “Bloods”. The neighboring communities often refer to this area as the “ghetto” or the “hood”. Needless to say, this region is heavily infested with drugs and crime. Also, the people in this region have faced issues involving discrimination and segregation. In recent years, however, local political leaders, commercial owners, and residents have joined forces in hopes of revitalizing and removing the association of urban decay and street crimes and violence with which South Los Angeles had become associated. Many non-profit agencies were established by promoting peace, employment assistance, and youth development and education. A monthly town meeting has been established where business owners, local politicians and residents address any issues and explore new opportunities to improve...

Words: 572 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Feminsm

...Hazel Grace English 263 Professor Phill April 28, 2014 Prewriting Techniques: I. Brainstorming 1. Feminism 2. Womanism 3. Oppression 4. Women’s rights 5. Double standards 6. Sexual Harassment 7. Domestic abuse II. Questioning 1. Who? Women. 2. What? Feminism and Womanism: their impact on our society. 3. Why? Inequality of rights between genders. 4. Where? In America. 5. When? Past centuries, current century. 6. How? Male-dominating nation. III. Scratch outline IV. Thesis: A. Introduction: Feminism is a movement that advocates for Women’s rights in a society dominated primarily by men. Feminism arises from the inequality of gender and power; feminist activists focus on issues that mainly affect women such as, domestic violence, sexual harassment, discrimination, among others. Womanism goes by the hand of Feminism; Womanism advocates for rights of black women who face gender and racial oppression. In our class text book, Women Images and Realities: a Multicultural Anthology by Suzane Kelly, Gowri Parameswaran and Nancy Schniedewind, there are several articles, poem, songs and short stories that talk about and explain in detail both, feminism and womanism. “La Princesa”, “With No Immediate Cause”, and “Whose Body Is It, Anyway?” are three of the articles that I believe express well the concepts described above. B. 1st body paragraph: “La Princesa” by Latina Anonima is a short story in which the...

Words: 2145 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Gangs

...Project Gangs David Vary Bryant & Stratton College CRJU102 W. Verna 25 July 2013 Introduction This paper is on Gangs. It will include the meaning of gangs both the Federal and State definition. The others areas it will cover will be the History of Gangs, The impact of Gangs, Gang Problems, Drugs and Trafficking, Guns and Violence, and Special gang Units. Federal Definition The federal definition of gangs as used by the DOJ, DHS, and ICE is an association of three or more individuals; whose members collectively identify themselves by adopting a group identity, which they use to create an atmosphere of fear or intimidation, frequently by employing one or more of the following: a common name, slogan, identifying sign, symbol, tattoo, or other physical markings, style or clothing, hairstyle, hand sign, or graffiti; whose purpose is to engage in criminal activity and which uses violence or intimidation to further its criminal objectives. Whose members engage in criminal activity or acts of juvenile delinquency that if committed by an adult would be crimes with the intent to enhance or preserve the association’s power, reputation or economic resources? The association may also possess some of the following characteristics: The members may employ rules for joining and operating within the association. The member may have to meet on a recurring basis. The association may provide physical protection of its member from others. The association may seek to exercise...

Words: 1066 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Racial Bias in Therapy

...Racial Bias in Therapy: How to ethically treat all cultures Heather Worthey Liberty University Abstract Despite how technologically advanced the United States is, the United States has a long way to go when it comes to bias. Racial bias is alive and thriving today. One's skin color does not make them less or more of a person, but some still hold onto the hatred they have for others. Some racial bias is conscious in the words and language used. Racial bias can be placed on others unintentionally by our thoughts and actions. As counselors, we have to be able to keep our bias in check. Having bias in therapy can be detrimental to our clients and to us professionally. When we let our biases cloud our judgment, we may look negatively on others when she should be trying to help them instead. Letting our biases be part of therapy can also set us up for ethical violations which could endanger our licensure. It is important that helping professionals take the time to educate themselves on racial bias and make the efforts to not let bias effect their clients and the therapy sessions. As counselors, one will interact with many different people from many different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Counseling is no exception to the cycles of racism, despite the education and intentions of therapists who would like to think they would never deliberately act in a racist manner toward any of their clients. Unfortunately, even when a therapist has received multicultural training, racism...

Words: 3622 - Pages: 15

Premium Essay

Arnoldo De Leon Ethnicity In The Sunbelt Summary

...the evolution of Latino empowerment, the book also discusses the change of the Mexican-American ethnic identity in the history of the population. The focus on a Mexican-American community in a city setting goes hand in hand with the works of Foley’s in The White Scourge, introducing the impact of Mexican presence in America. De Leon's Ethnicity in the Sunbelt follows a linear path following the changes of the Mexican-American community in the city of Houston. The book divides the development of this community into three parts: The arrival and consolidation of the Mexicans...

Words: 1052 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Disparity of Healthcare for Aids/Hiv Patients

...disparity in receiving proper care both in prevention modalities and active treatment for the disease. While the Obama administration has taken steps toward the elimination of these disparities through the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and Implementation Plan, there is still much work to be done. This brief highlights underexplored explanations for these disparities and outlines possible solutions to begin addressing them. Oftentimes, popular culture has offered unfortunately erroneous explanations for the stark racial disparate impact of HIV/ AIDS. The mass media, for example, has suggested that black men “on the down low” infect black women by secretly sleeping with male partners, acting as a bisexual “bridge” between gay and straight communities. But public health scholars have found little support for this theory. Many may assume that black people suffer from greater HIV prevalence because they are considered less sexually responsible than whites. Yet several studies have shown that black women and black men who have sex with men—the two groups most severely impacted by HIV/AIDS—have similar numbers of sexual partners and use condoms as often as their white counterparts. Thus, behavioral risk factors, while important, cannot fully explain the racial disparity. Instead, the racial HIV gap and the racial health gap in general, is strongly correlated with the racial wealth gap, which in turn is the direct outcome of both historical and contemporary processes of segregation in housing...

Words: 5868 - Pages: 24

Premium Essay

Domestic Violence Agaist Women

...Domestic Violence Against Women This essay aims to discuss vulnerability as a concept in relation to domestic violence against women. The author will identify the purpose of the chosen service (Women’s Aids Federation) and how it supports in meeting the health needs of women experiencing domestic violence. It will also demonstrate how the service relates to relevant health and social care policy and critically examine the influence of rights, policy, and the law on service delivery. Furthermore, the author will scrutinise the appropriateness, accessibility and effectiveness of the service in meeting the needs of women living with domestic violence. Finally, it will critically evaluate the contribution of nurses to the services. Vulnerability and domestic violence against women. Domestic violence is a global phenomenon, which is increasable being recognised not only as an issue of human rights but also as a serious public concern because of its short-term and long-term health consequences for women who have experienced it, and the serious impact on children who witness it (WHO, 2005). A vulnerable adult has been defined as ‘anyone who is above 18 years of age and who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and is or may be able unable to take care of him or herself or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation’ (DoH and Home Office, 2000). Vulnerability refers to an individual’s...

Words: 4934 - Pages: 20