Hispanic Outreach Committee Though SWC will provide services to anyone who is a victim of domestic and/or sexual violence regardless of their ability to speak English, we rely on volunteer translators to assist us in working with clients with limited or no English proficiency. However, while there is certainly domestic violence happening in this community (as it does in every other racial, cultural, or ethnic group), the number of Hispanic and Latina victims who seek our services is very small compared to their percentage of the overall population. Therefore, in early 2001, a small group of dedicated individuals began meeting to address the issue of providing more comprehensive services to the growing population of Spanish-speaking clients in the Eastern Panhandle. The Committee met several times to discuss the issues of the language and culture barrier, legal issues for undocumented immigrants, health care, and access to other social services. Though it no longer meets on a regular basis, SWC continues to strive to improve its response to all under served communities. To this end, SWC is applying for funding from the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence to hire a bi-lingual advocate to work specifically with under served populations, including Non-english speaking victims, elderly victims, victims of color, disabled victims, and lesbian/gay victims. For more information on how you can help SWC address the needs of these various communities. Please call Sonia at 263-8522. |
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