This document provides information about cultural competency training for working with immigrant and refugee survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. It begins with an agenda for the training, then provides data on Asian communities in Northeast Ohio served by Asian Services in Action, Inc. It details the organization's domestic violence and sexual assault program, challenges faced, and a culturally responsive support group. Recommendations are provided for working with interpreters and improving cultural humility when serving these communities.

1. Suku Moktan & Junko Shimizu
Asian Services in Action, Inc.
1
Cultural competency training
Working with immigrant and refugee survivors of
domestic violence and sexual assault
7.8.2016

2. 2
Agenda
1. Asian communities in Northeast Ohio
2. What ASIA, Inc. does for DV/SA issues in Asian communities?
3. How can you support?
a. Cultural competence and cultural humility perspectives
b. How to avoid communication breakdown with people with different
cultural backgrounds
4. How to work with interpreters and bilingual advocates

3. AAPI communities in Northeast Ohio
3

4. Asians are the fastest growing minority in the United States
4

5. API ethnic communities in Northeast Ohio
Approximately 69,400 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs)
represented by at least 117 different ethnicities and over 30 languages in
Northeast Ohio.
5
This map illustrates how many
API individuals live in
Cleveland Metro Area in 2010.
.

6. 6
AAPI population change in
Cuyahoga and Summit
Counties from 2000 to 2014

7. Refugee population in OH
Between 1983-2013, 45,392 individuals from 64 countries resettled in the state
of OH.
7

8. Asian refugee population in Ohio
From 1983 to 2013,
15,078 refugees from
Asian countries resettled
in Ohio (Ohio Department
of Job and Family
Services [ODJFS], 2013).
8

9. Recent trend of Asian refugees in Ohio
Among 12 Midwest states, Ohio has welcomed the largest number of Bhutanese
refugees between 2008 and 2012 (Asian & Pacific Islander American
Scholarship Fund [APIASF], 2014).
9

10. Other trends in refugee resettlement in OH
• The number of refugees from
African countries is also huge.
• The total number of refugees from
European countries is decreasing.
• In 2016, the state of Ohio has
accepted 3,890 refugees.
(Cuyahoga: 955, Summit: 720).
• In 2017, anticipated arrivals is 4,684
in OH (Cuyahoga: 1050, Summit:
870).
10
1983-2003 2004-2013 Total
Somalia 1,279 5,712 6,991
Sudan 150 350 500
Liberia 169 357 526
Eritrea 6 407 410
Rep. Congo 0 351 351
Congo 0 28 28

11. What ASIA, Inc. does for DV/SA issues
in Asian communities?
11

12. Data of Asian survivors of DV/SA
• 21-55% of Asian Women report experiencing intimate physical and/or sexual
violence during their lifetime (Asian & Pacific Islander Gender Based
Violence [APIGBV], 2015).
• In 2012, 96% of Asian victims reported emotional/verbal abuse, 69% physical
abuse, 35% economic abuse, 7% sexual abuse, and 6%, stalking.
• 13% of Asians/Asian Americans identified in-laws as the persons committing
the abuse for which they sought help from a domestic violence program. This
proportion is higher than those found for other groups: 4% for
Hispanics/Latinos, 3% for Whites, and 1% for African Americans/Blacks.
(Asian & Pacific Islander Gender Based Violence [APIGBV], 2015).
12

13. Data of Asian survivors of DV/SA
• Older Chinese respondents were more tolerant of the use of force and more likely to
justify a husband’s use of violence against his wife.
• 71% of the respondents of a study (Yoshihama, 1995) who had experienced partner
violence reported that the following aspects of their Japanese background influenced
their experiences with their partner’s violence:
 conflict avoidance
 value of endurance
 acceptance of male domination
 value of collective family welfare
 aversion to seeking help (Asian & Pacific Islander Gender Based Violence [APIGBV], 2015).
13

14. Help-seeking attitude (Project AWARE study)
• 44.8% of the Asian women reported that they or other Asian women they knew to have been abused
did “nothing” to protect themselves from abusive events.
• 32.1% said they “kept quiet.” “Doing nothing can serve as a strategy of resistance in an attempt [to]
avoid or lessen abuse.”
• 34.3% of the respondents or other Asian women they knew to have been abused sought help from their
family, and 32.1% from friends.
• Only 15.7% reported having called the police, and 9.0% actually obtained help from an agency.
• 78.0%, the majority of women who confided in someone about their experience of abuse felt better
afterwards, but 35.4% indicated that they felt ashamed.
(Asian & Pacific Islander Gender Based Violence [APIGBV], 2015).
14

15. Data of Asian survivors of DV/SA
• Asians who have experienced partners’ violence were less likely to use
mental health services than other racial groups.
• Three main barriers which Asian-American experienced in using DV/SA
services are…
1. Language (34%)
2. Immigration Status (30%)
3. Transportation (14%)
(Asian & Pacific Islander Gender Based Violence [APIGBV], 2015).
15

16. ASIA’s DV/SA program
• In 1996, ASIA started providing limited assistance to DV/SA victims.
• DV/SA services were formalized and expanded in 2009.
• Two full-time staff (Children Youth and Family Dept. Manager and Program
Assistant), two part-time bilingual advocates (Nepali speakers), and social
work interns
• Two offices (Cleveland and Akron)
16

17. ASIA’s DV/SA Program Overview
17
Crisis Intervention
Support group
Personal
advocacy/accompa
niment
Medical support
advocacy
Material assistance
Immigration
assistance
Information/
referral
Victim’s
compensation
Case management/
service
coordination
Employment
Counseling
Language
assistance
Financial
assistance/
counseling
Transportation
assistance
Protection order
assistance
Civil legal system
support/advocacy
Safety planning
Individual/group
counseling
Criminal legal
system
support/advocacy
Restraining order
assistance
Housing advocacy

18. Data in 2015
• 156 hotline contacts
• 24 active cases
 83% Asian-American
 9% White
 4% Hispanic
 4% African-American
• 22 cases (91%):
Immigrant/Refugees/Asylum seekers
• 21 cases (87%): Victims with Limited
English Proficiency (LEP)
• All female clients
Cases include...
 International marriage
 Labor trafficking
 Trauma experiences as refugees
18

19. How clients access to DV/SA service
• Referred by other ASIA’s departments
 Self-sufficiency department
 International Community Health Center
• Referred by refugee resettlement agency
 Refugee resettlement agency needs to work for the entire family. At this point, it is hard for them to
work for both a victim and a perpetrator.
• Referred by community members
• Contact by a survivor herself
19

20. Casework
Intake
• Prioritize safety planning
• Integrate danger assessment
• With an interpreter or a bilingual advocate
(in-person)
• Practice “I need help” “please help me”
Crisis Intervention
• Arranging shelter services
• Material assistance/safe phone
• Emotional support
• Providing transportation
20
Immediate and mid-term interventions
• Protection order assistance
• Civil/criminal legal system advocacy
• Immigration assistance
• Job counseling
• financial/benefit access assistance
• Housing advocacy

21. Community level - Outreach and education
• Creating different language flyers and brochure (12 languages)
• Having events to increase awareness of DV/SA service access in AAPI
communities
21

22. Challenges
Casework
• Two steps forward and one steps
back
• Takes time…
 Traumatic experience
 Involving interpreters - scheduling
 Educating from the bottom of a
issue and system
22
Outreach events & materials
• Translated in different languages
• Stigma of specific words
• Use proverb and culturally
resonant words
• Festival vs. stigma related
events

23. Women’s culturally responsive support group
Support group for Nepali women
• Every Thursday in Akron.
• Most of the participants are Nepali women while there are few senior male
participants.
• This program is not designed only for survivors of DV/SA, so we do not
openly discuss DV/ SA issues.
• We provide a space where participants feel “safe” and “connected” to the
community through doing some activities such as sewing, hand craft, driving
lessons, citizenship education, and parenting education.
23

24. How can you support?
24

25. Cultural competence and cultural humility
“Cultural competence is a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that
come together in a system or agency or among professionals and enable the
system, agency, or professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations”
(NASW, 2000b, p. 61).
Cultural humility is one construct for understanding and developing a process-
oriented approach to competency. Cultural humility is conceptualized as the
“ability to maintain an interpersonal stance that is other-oriented (or open to the
other) in relation to aspects of cultural identity that are most important to the
[person]” (Hook et al., p. 2 as cited in Waters & Asbill, 2013).
25

26. How to improve cultural humility
Waters and Asbill (2013) said
1. Lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and self-critique
2. Fix power imbalances
3. Develop partnerships with people and groups who advocate for others
26

27. https://www.ted.com/talks/derek_sivers_weird_or_just_different
27

28. Can you read these?
28

29. Do you know what it is saying?
29

30. Which is medicine?
30

31. Protein?
31

32. Exercise?
32

33. Hospital? Clinic?
33

34. Ask without assumptions
34

35. How? - Cultural Interviewing
35
• What term do you prefer when referring to yourself?- e.g., JinghuziI am not so familiar
with your [culture/religion/custom]. Can you tell me a little more about it?
• Could you tell me what languages are spoken in your home and the languages that
you understand and speak?
• Who makes up your family? vs. Who do you live with?
• At what age are children considered an adult?
• Who is the primary caregiver in your household?
• What is your method to treat your illness?
• How important is it to be on time?

36. Other diversity factors
• Religious belief (Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Christianity)
• Gender (Male, female, transgender)
• Immigration status (U.S. citizen, refugees, undocumented, international student)
• Caste (*and Social Status, including Economic)
• Foreign born vs. US born
• Younger generation vs. elderly people
• 1st generation of immigrants/refugees vs. 2nd or more generation
• Eastern philosophy vs. western philosophy
• Individualism vs. familism
• Language level 36

37. 37
You need to go to JFS for child support application.
OK.
Can you go to JFS in this week?
...Yes.

38. Why doesn’t it work?
• Using abbreviation
• Go...how? With whom?
• Child support...for what?
• This week… why? And how long does it open?
• Need any documentations?
• Emotional barriers to access to unfamiliar place
→ Let’s rephrase and re-construct this conversation.
38

39. Can you rephrase examples?
39
Original phrase New phrase
Do you have a PCP?
Do you have a proof of ID?
Do you understand??
I don’t know what are you talking about.

40. How to work with interpreters and
bilingual advocates?
40

41. Basic knowledge
41
Interpreter vs. Translator
● An interpreter interprets or translates words that are being spoken by conveying the idea
orally in another language.
● A translator interprets or translates words that are written by writing them in another
language.
Consecutive vs. Simultaneous interpretation
In consecutive interpretation, the speaker says a sentence or wto in the source language and
then stops. The interpreter, who is usually next to the speaker, conveys the meaning of
what the speaker just said.in the target language
In simultaneous interpretation, the interpreter must translate the sentence into the target
language while simultaneously listening to and comprehending the next sentence. Typically
only very skilled interpreters can successfully use this methods of interpretation.

42. Bilingual vs. Qualified vs. Certified
A bilingual individual is a person who has some degree of proficiency in two
languages. A high level of bilingualism is the most basic of the qualifications
of a competent interpreter, but by itself does not ensure the ability of interpret.
A qualified interpreter can demonstrate a high level of proficiency in at least two
languages and has the appropriate training and experience to interpret with
skill and accuracy while adhering to a code of ethics.
A certified interpreter is an interpreter who is certified as competent by a
professional organization or government entity through rigorous testing based
on appropriate and consistent criteria (ex. Court certified). Standard will vary
based on who is the certifying entity.
42

43. Interpreters vs. bilingual advocates
43
Interpreters Bilingual advocates
Primary role Interpreting Advocacy
Accuracy level Certified or qualified No specific standard
Areas of service Interpreting Sometimes going to a court,
and legal service together,
providing a transportation,
teaching how to ride a bus,
Trainings Required based on each
criteria
40 hours advocacy training
required.
Confidentiality Adhering Code of Ethics Follow the organization’s
policy.

44. Choosing an interpreter
• The necessity of qualified and certified interpreters is depending on needs.
• Whenever possible, choose an interpreter that lives and/or works outside of the
LEP individual’s immediate community. While this is not always possible if there
is only a small pool of interpreters available to you, it is preferable in sensitive
situations such as DV, SA workplace harassment, and family disputes.
• In a court, plaintiff and defendant needs each interpreter even though they speak
the same language.
• LEP individuals have sometimes experienced a history of ethnic, religious, or
gender based discrimination, so it is very important to choose interpreters that the
LEP individuals are comfortable with.
• In-person vs. telephonic 44

45. Basic tips
• As many interpreters use the consecutive interpretation, it is better to speak
short, clear sentences.
• Please avoid using jargons and professional words.
• DO NOT let an interpreter explain a specific term. (e.g., Hi interpreter, could
you explain/tell this client what legal guardian means ?)
• All proceeding with an interpreter will take longer than usual.
• Interpreting can be mentally exhausting, particularly in a legal setting.
• If you can allow an interpreter time to prepare for case before an actual
interpretation, it would be helpful for him/her. (e.g., what type of mental health
screening you are going to have in the appointment). 45

46. Challenges/ issues / barriers of bilingual advocates.
Some challenges that bilingual advocates faced.
1. Our clients are ignorant in legal awareness. We have to keep reminding them
over and over.
2. Sometimes court doesn’t provide the interpreter and bilingual advocates were
asked to interpret.
3. We have clients those who are thinks domestic violence is okay in their
culture.
4. Some Bhutanese/Nepali people speak their sub cast language only and we
have problem to translate into Nepali language. 46

47. References
Asian American Center for Advancing Justice. (2012). A community contrast: Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders
in Midwest.
Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund [APIASF], 2014. Invisible Newcomers: Refugees from Burma/Myammar
and Bhutan in the United States.
Asian & Pacific Islander Gender Based Violence [APIGBV], 2015. Facts and stats report: Domestic violence in Asian & Pacific Islander
Homes.
National Association of Social Workers. (2001). NASW Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice.
Retrieved from https://www.socialworkers.org/practice/standards/naswculturalstandards.pdf
NPR. (2015). The Future Of The U.S. Immigrant Population, In 1 Graphic. Retrieved from
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/09/28/444193182/the-future-of-the-united-states-immigrant-population-in-one-
graphic?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20150928
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. (2011). Demographic map of refugee resettlement in Ohio year 2011 (FFY). Retrieved
from https://jfs.ohio.gov/refugee/chartsMaps_Tables.stm
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. (2012). Demographic map of refugee resettlement in Ohio year 2012 (FFY). Retrieved
from https://jfs.ohio.gov/refugee/chartsMaps_Tables.stm
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. (2013). Individuals resettled in Ohio by country of origin FFY 1983 – 2013. Retrieved from
https://jfs.ohio.gov/refugee/chartsMaps_Tables.stm
Waters, A, & Asbill, L. (2013). Reflections on cultural humility. Retrieved from
http://www.apa.org/pi/families/resources/newsletter/2013/08/cultural-humility.aspx
47

48. 48
Thank you
Junko Shimizu jshimizu@asiaohio.org
Suku Moktan smoktan@asiaohio.org