Research to Practice:Women of Color and Victimization - Implications for ServicesCOVA ConferenceOctober 19, 2009Marti Kovener & Ana Soler

female victimization rates for serious violent crime BJS Special Report Violent Victimizationand Race, 1993-98, March 2001, NCJ 176354, www.ncjrs.gov

reporting of crime

acculturation Interpersonal Victimization and Help-Seeking in a National Sample of Latino Women: Initial Results from the SALAS Study, Chiara Sabina , Penn State Harrisburg and Carlos Cuevas, Northeastern University, 2009Latina immigrants had a lower rate of interpersonal victimizationThe higher the score of Anglo acculturation, the higher the rate for all types of victimization (DV, SA, stalking)

help seeking behaviorsInterpersonal Victimization and Help-Seeking in a National Sample of Latino Women: Initial Results from the SALAS Study, Chiara Sabina , Penn State Harrisburg and Carlos Cuevas, Northeastern University, 2009

sources of formal and informal help Interpersonal Victimization and Help-Seeking in a National Sample of Latino Women: Initial Results from the SALAS Study, Chiara Sabina , Penn State Harrisburg and Carlos Cuevas, Northeastern University, 2009

other factorsCampbell, R. Preliminary Findings presented to NIJ June 2009Honeycutt, Marshall, & Weston (2001) Violence Against Women, Vol. 7.Wyatt, GE (1992) Journal of Social Issues, Vol. 48.Brunson, R (2007) Criminology and Public Policy, Vol .6.Perpetrators of sexual assault against White victims are still more likely to be convicted67% of low-income, welfare dependentBlack women had experienced a previoussexual assault76% of African American survivors attributed their rape to the riskiness of their living situations (e.g., “I was living in a bad neighborhood”)Distrust of police is more widespread in communities of color

culturally based servicesContextualizing Rape: Reviewing sequelae andproposing a culturally inclusive ecological model of sexual assault recovery. Neville, H. A., & Heppner, M. J. (1999).Applied & PreventivePsychology, 8, 41-62.African Americans who participated in culturally specific intervention programs found the information to be more personally relevant to them and were more motivated to hear the message.

inclusivity in domestic violence sheltersMeeting Survivors’ Needs: A Multi-State Study of Domestic Violence Shelter Experiences, 2008Eleanor Lyon, Shannon Lane, and Anne Menard, National Institute of Justice (October 2008)http://new.vawnet.org//category/index_pages.php?category_id=936Study conducted in 8 states - CT, FL, IL, MI, NM, OK, TN, WA)215 programs surveyed, 3410 residents36 languages spoken by shelter staff82% had staff who spoke a language other then English72% had at least one Spanish-speaking staff member77% of residents surveyed agreed that “It seemed like a place for people like me.”76% of residents felt their racial background was respected

Study conducted in 8 states - CT, FL, IL, MI, NM, OK, TN, WA)

215 programs surveyed, 3410 residents

36 languages spoken by shelter staff

82% had staff who spoke a language other then English

72% had at least one Spanish-speaking staff member

77% of residents surveyed agreed that “It seemed like a place for people like me.”

76% of residents felt their racial background was respected

community engagementCasa de Esperanza case study

social marketing

what does culture mean to us?

awareness test

application

contactAna Soler - Marti Kovener – marti.kovener@capacity360.orgFor copies of presentation materials: