Ensuring the rights of immigrant survivors of domestic/sexual violence at the US-Mexico border through advocacy and targeted training of front line responders and key service providers

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Tessa Mayorga, MPH, BSN¹, Deborah Jean McClelland, MLS¹, Maia Ingram, MPH², Laura Horsley³, Montserrat Caballero⁴, and Maureen Domogala⁵. (1) Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, P.O. Box 245177, Tucson, AZ 85724, (520) 626-7946, ext. 225, tmayorga@email.arizona.edu, (2) Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, Program Director, Community Based Evaluation Projects, University of Arizona, P.O. Box 245177, Tucson, AZ 85724, (3) House of Hope, Catholic Community Services, PO Box 1218, Douglas, AZ 85608, (4) Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault, Su Voz Vale, 101 W. Irvington Rd., Office 4A, Tucson, AZ 85714, (5) Arizona Governor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families, 1700 W. Washington, Ste.101, Phoenix, AZ 85007

The Southern Arizona Battered Immigrant Women Project (BIWP) is a partnership of six county-based, multidisciplinary task forces addressing the challenges of eliminating institutional barriers in health, legal and other critical services to immigrant victims in Arizona within the context of increased border militarization and anti-immigrant legislation. The University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health (MEZCOPH) is providing technical assistance to coordinate development and training activities of community task forces in seven counties. A needs assessment survey conducted by MEZCOPH has identified institutional barriers faced by victims and survivors in accessing services including gaps in service availability, limited knowledge of the law among service providers, including the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and limited or non-availability of linguistically and culturally appropriate services. The project continues to address gaps in services, responding to training needs of service providers on the rights provided under VAWA, developing effective strategies to raise community awareness, and enhancing victim advocacy throughout southern Arizona. The project is in partnership with the Governor's Office under a federal grant through the Department of Justice. The results of the provider training needs assessment and gaps in services analysis has served to form a context for the multidisciplinary training of law enforcement, legal and victim services and other health and human service agencies. This presentation will provide an opportunity to discuss the challenges of implementing a project focusing on immigrant women's rights and truly ensuring their safety in the present political climate at the US-Mexico border.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session participants will be able to

I. Describe the issues facing immigrant victims of domestic and/or sexual violence at the US-Mexico border
II. Identify strategies to address these issues through community task forces
III. Describe the process of conducting community needs assessments and developing service provider trainings

Keywords: Service Integration, Rural Communities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation

Identifying Health Risks Impacting Refugees, Immigrants and Victims of Human Trafficking

The 134th Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 4-8, 2006) of APHA