Sauti Yetu Center For African Women

PROVIDING HOLISTIC LEGAL SERVICES TO IMMIGRANT AND LOW-INCOME WOMEN VICTIMIZED BY VIOLENCE IN THE BRONX

THE GRANTS TO PREVENT AND RESPOND TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, STALKING, AND SEX TRAFFICKING AGAINST CHILDREN AND YOUTH PROGRAM SUPPORTS COMPREHENSIVE, COMMUNITY-BASED EFFORTS TO DEVELOP OR EXPAND PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, TREATMENT, AND RESPONSE STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH IMPACTED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, STALKING, AND SEX TRAFFICKING, INCLUDING SUPPORT FOR THEIR NON-ABUSING PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, AND LEGAL GUARDIANS. WITH THIS GRANT FUNDING, THE SUATI YETU CENTER FOR AFRICAN WOMEN, INC. WILL IMPLEMENT CY PURPOSE AREA 2 FOR YOUTH (AGES 11-21) FROM UNDERSERVED IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES ACROSS ALL FIVE BOROUGHS OF NEW YORK CITY. THIS PROJECT WILL SPECIFICALLY SERVE 300 YOUNG WOMEN AGED 12- 21 FROM IMMIGRANT FAMILIES. MOU PARTNERS ON THIS PROJECT INCLUDE WOMANKIND AND NEW YORK CITY ALLIANCE AGAINST SEXUAL ASSAULT (THE ALLIANCE) AS THE VICTIM SERVICE PROVIDER. THE PROJECT WILL: 1) REVIVE THE GIRLS EMPOWERMENT AND LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE MENTORING PROGRAM TO SUPPORT AND BUILD THE SOCIAL CAPITAL OF AFRICAN IMMIGRANT YOUTH WHO STRUGGLE TO FIT INTO TRADITIONAL SCHOOL SETTINGS, ESPECIALLY INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOLS OFTEN LACKING SUPPORT FOR LANGUAGES BEYOND SPANISH; 2) CONTINUE THE AMINAH & AKEEM HEALTH PROGRAM, A CULTURALLY SPECIFIC 10-WEEK CURRICULUM SERIES ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH TAILORED FOR AFRICAN, MUSLIM, AND IMMIGRANT YOUTH; 3) ASSIST YOUTH IN CRISIS FROM SEXUAL VIOLENCE OR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BY UTILIZING CRISIS COUNSELORS AND WOMANKINDS CHILDREN AND YOUTH ADVOCATE; 4) PARTNER WITH WOMANKIND TO PROVIDE SHORT-TERM EMERGENCY COUNSELING TO HELP YOUTH COPE WITH TRAUMA; AND 5) PARTNER WITH THE ALLIANCE TO PROVIDE TRAINING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS TO HELP IDENTIFY AND RESPOND TO AFRICAN IMMIGRANT YOUTH IMPACTED BY SEXUAL OR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. THE PROJECT ADDRESSES OVW PRIORITY AREAS OF ADVANCING EQUITY AND TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY AND EXPANDING ECONOMIC JUSTICE AND FINANCIAL ADVOCACY FOR SURVIVORS. THE TIMING FOR PERFORMANCE OF THIS AWARD IS 36 MONTHS.

THE GRANTS TO ENHANCE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING PROGRAM IS AUTHORIZED BY 34 U.S.C. 20124. THIS PROGRAM SUPPORTS THE MAINTENANCE AND REPLICATION OF EXISTING SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS PROVIDING CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING, AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE ACCESS TO SERVICES AND RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS WHO FACE OBSTACLES TO USING MORE TRADITIONAL PROGRAMS. CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES MEANS COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES THAT INCLUDE CULTURALLY RELEVANT AND LINGUISTICALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO CULTURALLY SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES WHICH ARE STATUTORILY DEFINED AS AMERICAN INDIANS (INCLUDING ALASKA NATIVES, ESKIMOS, AND ALEUTS); ASIAN AMERICANS; NATIVE HAWAIIANS AND OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDERS; BLACKS; AND HISPANICS. PROJECTS MUST ADDRESS AT LEAST ONE OF THE PROGRAMS STATUTORY PURPOSE AREAS. THROUGH THIS NEW CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES PROGRAM PROJECT, SAUTI YETU CENTER FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN, INC. WILL IMPLEMENT A PROJECT ADDRESSING THE FOLLOWING PURPOSE AREAS: PURPOSE AREA 2 INCREASING COMMUNITIES CAPACITY TO PROVIDE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING CRIMES AND THEIR FAMILIES; AND PURPOSE AREA 8 EXAMINING THE DYNAMICS OF CULTURE AND ITS IMPACT ON VICTIMIZATION AND HEALING FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN IMMIGRANTS IN NEW YORK. THE PROJECT WILL ADDRESS PRIORITY AREA 2: STRENGTHEN EFFORTS TO PREVENT AND END SEXUAL ASSAULT. SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE: 1) CRISIS INTERVENTION; 2) CASE MANAGEMENT; 3) INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING; AND 4) SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS OUTREACH.

ETHNIC COMMUNITY SELF-HELP PROGRAM

PROJECT MOUSSOU TONTINE: COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS FROM AFRICAN IMMIGRANT AND MUSLIM COMMUNITIES IN THE BRONX

THE HANDS PROJECT

CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES PROGRAM

YAKAAR PROJECT

THE SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PROGRAM (SAS CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PROGRAM) WAS CREATED BY THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005 (VAWA 2005), 34 U.S.C. § 12511(C), AND IS PART OF THE FIRST FEDERAL FUNDING STREAM SOLELY DEDICATED TO THE PROVISION OF DIRECT INTERVENTION AND RELATED ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. INTERVENTION AND RELATED ASSISTANCE INCLUDE ADVOCACY, ACCOMPANIMENT (E.G., ACCOMPANYING VICTIMS TO COURT, MEDICAL FACILITIES, POLICE DEPARTMENTS, ETC.), CRISIS INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT SERVICES, AND REFERRALS, AMONG OTHER SERVICES. UNDER THIS PROGRAM, SUCH SERVICES MAY BE PROVIDED TO ADULT, YOUTH, AND CHILD VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, FAMILY AND HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS OF SUCH VICTIMS, AND THOSE COLLATERALLY AFFECTED BY THE VICTIMIZATION.    SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT FROM CULTURALLY SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES FREQUENTLY CONFRONT UNIQUE CHALLENGES WHEN SEEKING ASSISTANCE, SUCH AS LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS. CULTURALLY SPECIFIC COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS ARE MORE LIKELY TO UNDERSTAND THESE CHALLENGES BECAUSE THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE CULTURE, LANGUAGE, AND BACKGROUND OF VICTIMS FROM THEIR COMMUNITIES, WHO IN TURN ARE MORE INCLINED TO SEEK SERVICES FROM SUCH ORGANIZATIONS. THE GOAL OF THE SAS CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PROGRAM IS TO CREATE, MAINTAIN, AND EXPAND SUSTAINABLE SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES PROVIDED BY CULTURALLY SPECIFIC COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH SERVE A VITAL ROLE IN PROVIDING SERVICES THAT ARE RELEVANT FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES. GRANTEES MUST EITHER DEMONSTRATE EXPERTISE IN SEXUAL ASSAULT OR PARTNER WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS SUCH EXPERTISE. CULTURALLY SPECIFIC IS STATUTORILY DEFINED AS ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING RACIAL AND ETHNIC COMMUNITIES: 1) AMERICAN INDIANS (INCLUDING ALASKA NATIVES, ESKIMOS, AND ALEUTS); 2) ASIAN AMERICANS; 3) NATIVE HAWAIIANS AND OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDERS; 4) BLACKS; AND 5) HISPANICS. SEE 34 U.S.C. §§ 12511(C)(2), 12291(A)(6), AND 42 U.S.C. § 300U-6(G)(1).

ENHANCING CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES TO AFRICAN IMMIGRANT WOMEN VICTIMIZED BY DOMESTIC OR DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT AND ST

THE PURPOSE OF THIS GRANT PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE SERVICES TO CRIME VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS FROM COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED; MARGINALIZED; ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY INEQUALITY; AND DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY CRIME, VIOLENCE, AND VICTIMIZATION. WITH THIS FUNDING, SAUTI YETU CENTER FOR AFRICAN WOMEN, INC., WILL MAKE NEW YORK CITY SAFER FOR LIMITED-ENGLISH-PROFICIENT AFRICAN AND OTHER IMMIGRANT INDIVIDUALS BY IMPROVING ACCESS FOR THOSE IMPACTED BY CRIME TO BASIC NEED SERVICES AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE. THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE, TRAUMA-INFORMED CRISIS INTERVENTION, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND/OR VICTIM ADVOCACY SERVICES; FOOD ASSISTANCE; CLOTHING; HYGIENE KITS; TRANSPORTATION; AND REFERRALS FOR HOUSING AND OTHER SERVICES. THE TARGET POPULATION IS VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, STALKING, SEX TRAFFICKING, FGC (FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION/CUTTING), ARRANGED/FORCED MARRIAGE, WORKPLACE ABUSE,LABOR TRAFFICKING, SEX TRAFFICKING, AND HATE IN THE HUNTS POINT, JEROME, KINGSBOROUGH, AND MOTT HAVEN NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE BRONX.

BUILDING WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP & CIVIC PARTICIPATION IN NEW YORK CITY'S AFRICAN REFUGEE COMMUNITY

USING CHILD-CENTERED ETHNIC MEDIA TO REACH AFRICAN IMMIGRANT CHILDREN EXPOSED TO VIOLENCE IN NEW YORK CITY