Casa Fortaleza

SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES FOR SPANISH SPEAKING IMMIGRANTS IN CENTRAL NEW MEXICO (SASSI-CNM)

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 ESTABLISH, MAINTAIN, AND EXPAND CULTURALLY SPECIFIC INTERVENTION AND RELATED ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, WHICH SERVE A VITAL ROLE IN PROVIDING SERVICES THAT ARE RELEVANT FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES. THROUGH THIS CONTINUATION SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PROGRAM PROJECT, CASA FORTALEZA, WILL PROVIDE 24-HOUR HOTLINE SERVICES, ACCOMPANIMENT, ADVOCACY, CRISIS INTERVENTION, INDIVIDUAL AND SUPPORT GROUP SERVICES, DIRECT PAYMENT, REFERRALS, AND OUTREACH TO SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITIES IN CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. THE PROJECT WILL ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING PRIORITY AREA: PRIORITY AREA 5, UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES- SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES FOR THE LGBT POPULATION.

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: 1) WORK WITH STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES TO DEVELOP AND ENHANCE EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO PROVIDE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC VICTIM SERVICES ; 2) INCREASE COMMUNITIES’ CAPACITY TO PROVIDE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES; 3) STRENGTHEN CRIMINAL JUSTICE INTERVENTIONS BY PROVIDING TRAINING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, PROSECUTION, COURTS, PROBATION, AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES ON CULTURALLY SPECIFIC RESPONSES; 4) ENHANCE TRADITIONAL SERVICES TO VICTIMS THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF CULTURALLY SPECIFIC VICTIM SERVICES PROGRAMS ; 5) WORK IN COOPERATION WITH THE COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP EDUCATION AND PREVENTION STRATEGIES HIGHLIGHTING CULTURALLY SPECIFIC ISSUES AND RESOURCES; 6) PROVIDE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN EXPOSED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING; 7) PROVIDE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC RESOURCES AND SERVICES THAT ADDRESS THE SAFETY, ECONOMIC, HOUSING, AND WORKPLACE NEEDS OF VICTIMS, INCLUDING EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE; AND/OR 8) EXAMINE THE DYNAMICS OF CULTURE AND ITS IMPACT ON VICTIMIZATION AND HEALING.

SEXUAL ASSAULT THERAPY EDUCATION AND SUPPORT FOR SPANISH-SPEAKING IMMIGRANTS (SATESSI)