October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, and for Spanish-speaking domestic abuse victims in Sussex County, access to adequate support is critical. The U.S. Hispanic population has traditionally had restricted access to education, housing, health and government assistance because of a system that offers inclusion but might not provide linguistic access.
Fortunately for the Hispanic population of Sussex County, institutions such as La Esperanza and Abriendo Puertas offer bilingual legal counseling, shelter and support for domestic violence and sexual assault victims.
Bilingual Family Services Coordinator Nina Morales-Perez and her team at La Esperanza provide free legal advocacy for survivors of violence, including protection from abuse (PFA), divorce, child custody and child support. They offer a court-approved Parent Education Program in Spanish based on a sliding fee scale.
Emergency shelter
At Abriendo Puertas, Victim Advocate Jessica Carino and her crew run an emergency shelter program for Latina women and children in domestic violence situations. Abriendo Puertas offers services such as PFA, case management and transition aid. Within the shelter, they use the Sanctuary ModelTM, emphasizing nonviolence, emotional intelligence, social learning, democracy, communication and social responsibility.
When asked about the most significant challenge she faces working with Hispanic domestic violence victims in Sussex County, Nina responded, “The biggest obstacle I face with clients is trust. They are often reluctant to share right away, and that’s understandable.
“I usually try my best to find common ground. I talk about my family and experiences and explain why I am here to help, and that’s when they start to reveal more. Building trust is a process that requires open communication and sharing personal stories can help people bond,” she said. “Establishing trust with a client can take an hour, a few days, or a month, but at the end of their experience at La Esperanza, they know they can ask me about anything, and I will help them get the answer, even if I don’t have it right away.”
Limited access
Jessica has worked in social services for almost 10 years. In her extensive experience as a victim advocate, the biggest barrier she has faced is limited access to resources in Sussex County.
“We struggle with helping our clients transition from the shelter into permanent housing, finding jobs, and directing them to bilingual counselors,” she said.
Jessica added that Latinas may struggle to resist their culture and upbringing, “which makes them willing to justify and tolerate abuse. Therapy is the only way for these preconceived ideas to change. Unfortunately, there are not enough bilingual counselors we can refer them to.”
La Esperanza’s Family Services Program’s main objective is to continue helping Delaware’s Hispanic community meet its needs, including housing, legal assistance, divorce, custody and PFA filings.
“We want to continue to help our clients feel understood, soothed and secure,” Nina said.
Power through education
For Abriendo Puertas, the fundamental goal is “to increase our efforts to spread awareness about domestic violence within the Hispanic community of Sussex County and keep empowering the women we serve at the shelter through education to help them understand that love is never violent,” Jessica said.
La Esperanza and Abriendo Puertas work together, and with other local service providers, to offer confidential support to survivors. Because of these alliances, these two organizations can afford crucial assistance to Sussex County’s Hispanic community.
If you or your organization would like to support the teams at La Esperanza and Abriendo Puertas, contact Nina Morales-Perez, nmorales@laesperanza.org or Jessica Carino, jcarino@peoplesplace2.com.