The Growing Diversity of Immigrant Populations in the United States and with Different

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The growing diversity of immigrant populations in the United States and with different legal statuses (i.e. refugees, asylees, family sponsored immigrants, undocumented, spouses of American citizens) requires that we identify promising practices that account for a variety of cultural norms, acculturation patterns and legal statuses.

The mainstream intervention model is predicated largely on a legal system to provide protection against perpetrators, shelters for transitional living and development of life and economic skills to live independently of and free from the abuser. While these elements are essential for most to escape from family violence, many immigrant women are either not able or not willing to use these services. In addition to the obvious barrier of knowledge about and language to access the system, many immigrant women struggle with the isolation from their community if they enter a shelter and/or leave their abuser. Some immigrant women may have fewer economic and educations skills than American women, due to limited English and work skills. Some lack the legal right to work in the US. Many are at risk of deportation, or fear such a result if they seek help and the abusive spouse may be the only person the woman knows in the community.

Even more serious is that some immigrant women may not self-identify as a victim, due to cultural norms and expectations, that women are “property” of men. Also, many entering the US as refugees and asylees have experienced such horrific violence (gang rape, torture, witness to mass killings, and other violations of basic human rights).

NIFVI’s partnering agencies work to develop legal and social services to address the specific cultural and specialized needs of these women.

About Us

NIFVI’s goal is to develop and disseminate culturally appropriate promising practices nationally, to enhance current intervention and prevention strategies that address the unique issues battered immigrant women face.

Made up of seven partnering agencies from across the country, NIFVI is supported by the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program and the Family Youth Services Bureau. Administration for Children and Families and US Department of Health and Human Services.

NIFVI Partners include

International Institute of the Bay Area http://iisf.org/

International Institute of Boston http://www.iiboston.org/

International Institute of New Jersey http://www.iinj.org/

International Institute of St. Louis http://www.iistl.org/

Jewish Vocational Service – Kansas City http://www.jvskc.org/

Nationalities Service Center of Philadelphia http://www.nationalitiesservice.org/

Washington University in St. Louis, Institute for Public Health http://epi.wustl.edu/

For Immigrants and Refugees

1. Definition Domestic Violence in America

2. Violence Against Women Act

3. Long term effect of abuse

4. Who are the victims

5. Who are the abusers

6. Child Sexual Abuse

7. Human Trafficking

8. Facts

9. Myths

10. Violence Wheel

11. Cycle of Violence

12. How can I protect myself?

a. What you can do to be safe

b. Internet Safety

c. Safety Plan

d. Protecting your identity

e. Financial Planning

13. Domestic Violence and Me

a. Answers to questions most frequently asked

14. Questions about Leaving

15. Personal Protection Orders

16. DV Survival Kit

17. DV Services

18. Custody and Abuse

19. Important Phone Numbers

20. Online Resources

21. Awareness Materials

a. Brochures

b. Fact Sheets

For Providers

NIFVI aims to increase public awareness and develop multidisciplinary services, with domestic violence providers, immigrant social service and legal providers and law enforcement agencies by providing:

Technical Assistance

· Specialized resource materials

· Legal protocols for working with the foreign-born

· Outreach and engagement

· Downloadable culturally sensitive tools and forms

· Documents translated into immigrant languages

Training

· Conferences, workshops and other training forums at the national level

· Articles, videos and podcasts

· Training curricula and PowerPoint presentations

Outline

· For Law Enforcement

· For Social Service Agencies

o Working with Law Enforcement

· For Attorneys and Legal Practitioners

· Referral Services

· Training

· Technical Assistance

· Collaborate

· List Serves

· Membership

· Serving Immigrants and Refugees

o Outreach

o Engagement

o Prevention

o Intervention

o Tools to Work with Immigrants and Refugees

§ Strategies for working with Immigrant and Refugee DV

§ Intake Form

§ Agreement Letter

§ Safety Plan

§ Protocol For Legal Services

§ Translated Materials

§ U visa for non lawyers

o U Visa Case Screening Guidelines

§ Assessment

· VAWA Screening

· Psychosocial Assessment Conditions

· Lethality Risk Assessment

· Case Closure Survey

o Promising Practices

o Resources

Publications/News

Links

Department of Health & Human Services Administration for Children and Families

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/acf_services.html

NIFVI Partners

International Institute of Metro St. Louis

http://www.iistl.org/

International Institute of the Bay Area

http://iisf.org/

International Institute of Boston

http://www.iiboston.org/

International Institute of New Jersey

http://www.iinj.org/

Jewish Vocational Services

http://www.jvskc.org/

Nationalities Services Center

http://www.nationalitiesservice.org/

Epidemiology and Prevention Research Group

http://epi.wustl.edu/

Department of Health & Human Services Administration for Children and Families Network & Institutes

The National Domestic Violence Hotline

http://www.ndvh.org/

The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence

http://www.nrcdv.org/

Battered Women’s Justice Project

http://www.bwjp.org/

National Council of Juvenile Family Court Judges

http://www.ncjfcj.org/

National Latino Alliance for the Elimination of Domestic Violence

http://www.dvalianza.org/

Sacred Circle

http://www.sacred-circle.com/

Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community

http://www.dvinstitute.org/

The Greenbook Initiative

http://www.thegreenbook.info/index.htm

National Sites without Immigrant & Refugee specific info.

domesticviolence.org

http://www.domesticviolence.org/

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

http://www.ncadv.org/

National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence

http://www.ncdsv.org/

VAW net

(National Online Resource Center on Violence Against Women)

http://www.vawnet.org/index.php

National Sexual Violence Resource Center

http://www.nsvrc.org/

The National Center for Victims of Crime

http://www.ncvc.org/ncvc/main.aspx?dbID=dash_Home

National Sites with Immigrant/Refugee Specific Information

Aardvark.org

An Abuse, Rape & Domestic Violence Aid & Resource Collection

http://www.aardvarc.org/dv/immigration.shtml

Family Violence Prevention Fund

http://www.endabuse.org/

Click to Empower

http://www.clicktoempower.org/about-the-program.aspx

Bridging Refugee Youth & Children’s Services

http://www.brycs.org/

Article about immigrant youth, families and DV

http://brycs.org/documents/immigrationDV.pdf

National Network to End Domestic Violence

http://www.nnedv.org/

United State Department of Justice

http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/regulations.htm

Migrant Clinicians Network

http://www.migrantclinician.org/

US Dept. of Health & Human Services

Womens Health.gov

http://www.womenshealth.gov/violence/groups/immigrant.cfm

Immigrant Specific DV Websites

National Network to End Violence Against Immigrant Women

http://www.immigrantwomennetwork.org/AboutUs.htm

Legal Information specific to Immigrants and Refugees

American Immigration Lawyers Association

http://www.aila.org/

Catholic Immigration Network, Inc.

http://www.cliniclegal.org/

National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, Inc.

http://www.nationalimmigrationproject.org/DVPage/DomesticViolencePage.html

State or City Providers with Information Specific to Immigrants and/or Refugees

Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence - Boston

http://www.atask.org/site/

NYC Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence

http://www.nyc.gov/html/ocdv/html/issues/immigrants.shtml

Texas Council On Family Violence

http://www.tcfv.org/

http://www.tcfv.org/policy/immigration-frequently-asked-questions/

http://www.tcfv.org/resources/materials-for-programs/

Information about Immigrants and Refugees

US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants

http://www.refugees.org/

American Refugee Committee

http://www.arcrelief.org/site/PageServer

Amnesty International

http://www.amnesty.org/

Bridging Refugee Youth & Children’s Services

http://www.brycs.org/brycs_resources.htm

Human Rights Watch

http://www.hrw.org/

International Committee of the Red Cross

http://www.icrc.org/

International Rescue Committee

http://www.theirc.org/

Migration Information Source

http://www.migrationinformation.org/USfocus/display.cfm?ID=229

Refugee Council USA

http://www.rcusa.org/

United Nations

http://www.un.org/

Information about Immigration

Immigration to the US 1789-1930

http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/immigration/

National Immigration Forum

http://immigrationforum.org/

National Network for Immigrant & Refugee Rights

http://www.nnirr.org/

Pew Hispanic Center

http://pewhispanic.org/

U.S. Department of State (Visa Bulletin)

http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_1360.html

PBS Independent Lens New Americans

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/newamericans/

The Immigrant Magazine

http://www.immigrantmagazine.com/

Forced Migration Online

http://www.forcedmigration.org/

CBC News Anatomy of a Refugee Camp

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/refugeecamp/

National Council of La Raza

http://www.nclr.org/

US Citizenship & Immigration Services

http://www.uscis.gov