Violence Reduction

Violence is an issue that affects many Hispanic communities, including domestic violence, gang violence, human trafficking, and even predatory internet practices. All of these forms of violence create a ripple effect within the community, adversely affective school performance, health outcomes, career opportunities, and other factors that contribute to quality of life.

Our Response
• To address domestic violence issues, Acceso Hispano implemented the No Más Silencio campaign, including six hour-long live radio programs in different cities, short-format radio PSAs, feature articles in newspapers, and referrals to local shelters and counseling services through our biligual toll-free hotline.

• To address issues of gang violence, Acceso Hispano created the 2Cooltura campaign as a new alternative to gang involvement. 2Cooltura helped Hispanic families define Hispanic culture through community pride, personal responsibility, and scholastic and professional success. The project used spokespersons Pedro Sevcec, veteran Telemundo news anchorman and Grammy-nominated rock en español Spanish-language band La Secta Allstars to reach over 10,000,000 Spanish-speakers each week with high-impact, multi-media educational messages. 2Cooltura resulted in 82 million total media impressions, giving Hispanic families the tools to identify at-risk youth behavior and increase the effectiveness of family communication. For more information, go to www.2cooltura.com.

• In response to human trafficking issues, Acceso Hispano worked with Hispanic Communications Network to develop the No Estás Sola/o campaign to increase awareness of human trafficking and knowledge of rescue, assistance, and protection services among the Hispanic community. We have also worked with AYUDA, Inc. on the Llama y Vive campaign sponsored by the Ricky Martin Foundation and the District of Columbia Office of Latino Affairs to provide a 24-hour hotline that links victims or observers of trafficking with information, support and specialized legal experts.

• Acceso Hispano worked with Hispanic Communications Network to develop the Proteja Sus Hijos (Protect Your Children) campaign for the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood program, to educate parents about the dangers of Internet predators. Acceso Hispano also built alliances with Hispanic-serving community-based and faith-based organizations to equip them with culturally sensitive public education materials on the benefits and risks of online activity to effectively address Internet safety with Hispanic parents.

The Issues

Domestic Violence
Domestic violence rates in Latino communities are inconsistent and difficult to obtain, however most studies suggest that they are similar to or above domestic violence rates in the broader U.S. society. One survey by the University of South Carolina’s College of Nursing found that 70% of 300 Hispanic women surveyed reported that they had been victims of domestic violence. By contrast a survey conducted by the Immigrant Women’s Task Force of the Northern California Coalition for Immigrant Rights found that only 34% of Latinas surveyed had experienced domestic violence. This rate was similar to a survey of farm worker women interviewed at migrant health centers. One notable finding was that Puerto Rican and Mexican men born in the (mainland) United States were at higher risk of using violence against their partners than men from these same countries or others born outside the United States. Several factors including discrimination and lack of bilingual or bicultural staff, have led to an under-utilization of shelters and other domestic violence services by Latinas affected by domestic violence. One study of undocumented Hispanic immigrants in particular found that for 64% of undocumented women, a primary barrier to seeking help from social service agencies is the fear of deportation.

Gang Violence
While there are no reliable estimates of how many Hispanics are victims of gang violence per year, all reports indicate gang violence is a reality that affects many Hispanic families across the country. While cities such as Los Angeles and Chicago are well-known for their Hispanic gangs, there have been many reports of Hispanic gang activity cropping up in semi-urban and even semi-rural areas of the Midwest. Gangs have a devastating effect on many families across the country, and may be particularly challenging for some Hispanic families already dealing with issues of acculturation, poverty, and lack of childcare.

Human Trafficking
The U.S. Department of Justice defines trafficking in persons as “modern-day slavery, involving victims who are forced, defrauded or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation.” The State Department estimates that 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders annually. In the United States, lawyers, church and social workers, and others involved in handling complaints estimate that there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of exploited and abused foreign domestics throughout the country in both large urban centers to more isolated rural areas. Numerous factors may prevent members of the Hispanic community – both victims and witnesses to human trafficking – from seeking help for the problem. Besides being unaware of the legal frameworks and community services in place to assist them, victims may also fear the consequences of reporting. In addition to fear for their lives or the lives of their loved ones, they may worry about being deported or abused by law enforcement officials if they report trafficking.

Child Internet Safety
According to a report from the Pew Hispanic Center, Hispanics are the fastest growing segment of Internet users in the U.S. Due to lack of adequate Internet safety education, a surprising number of youth regularly place themselves in extremely high-risk cyber situations. Hispanic youth are indeed 10% more likely than whites to go online “just for fun,” and are 9% more likely to go online for the sole purpose of “leisure activities.” Normally parents are the first line of defense to keep children from being exposed to online predators or dangerous sites, however very few Spanish-speaking parents are using the Internet due to generational differences, lack of exposure, and language barriers. Second-generation immigrant children of Spanish-dominant parents, like other American youth, are increasingly dependent on English-language wireless communication devices and web environments for their social and informational needs.