1. Introduction

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1. Introduction Ana Lópezs Story

• I wanted to protect myself and the children, but
  I didnt know what to do. I wanted to call the
  police, but I didnt think they would believe
  what had happened. Eventually, I got so
  desperate that I picked up the telephone receiver
  anyway. But when the voice on the other end
  talked to me in English, I didnt know what to
  say. I started speaking Spanish, but the
  operator couldnt understand me. I turned to my
  children, because they had picked up some
  English, but they were too afraid to say
  anything. I was frightened and embarrassed. I
  felt completely alone.
• As I was trying to figure out what to do, I heard
  Roberto walking up the porch steps to the front
  door. I put the telephone down and grabbed the
  children. We ran to the bedroom, and locked the
  door. I could hear Roberto walking into the
  kitchen and cursing. I hid the children in the
  bedroom closet and prayed that Roberto wouldnt
  find us. But he did.
• A composite of abused immigrant womens
  testimonies from the Tennessee Coalition Against
  Domestic and Sexual Violence

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2. Defining Terms Who Are Hispanics?

• Hispanic is
• a label of convenience utilized to refer to
  those individuals who reside in the United States
  and who were born in or trace the background of
  their families to one of the Spanish-speaking
  Latin-American nations or Spain.
• (Marín Marín, 1991, p. 1)

Countries With Significant Hispanic Populations
Note For countries in dark blue, Spanish
language and culture developed through
colonization by imperial Spain. Areas in light
blue have experienced recent migrations of
Hispanics from former Spanish colonies.
Source United States Census Bureau News, Facts
for Features Hispanic Heritage Month, 2007,
Released July 15, 2007.
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3. Defining the ProblemWhat is Domestic
Violence?

• The Violence Against Women and Department of
  Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (VAWA 2005)
• domestic violence includes felony or
  misdemeanor crimes of violence committed by
• a current or former spouse of the victim
• a person with whom the victim shares a child in
  common
• a person who is cohabitating with or has
  cohabitated with the victim as a spouse
• a person similarly situated to a spouse of the
  victim under the domestic or family violence laws
  of the jurisdiction receiving grant monies
• any other adult person against a victim who is
  protected from that person's acts under the
  domestic or family violence laws of the
  jurisdiction

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What is the Scope of the Problem?What are the
Phenomena?

• The Problem
• Domestic violence committed by undocumented
  Hispanic male immigrants against their
  undocumented Hispanic female immigrant partners
• The Perpetrators
• Abuse and acculturation are directly related
  12.8 of Mexican-born Mexican Americans vs. 30.9
  of U.S.-born Mexican Americans perpetrate
  physical abuse.
• By comparison, 21.6 of Whites perpetrate
  physical abuse (Sorrenson Telles, 1991).
• The Victims
• Up to 49.3 of undocumented Hispanic immigrants
  may be physically abused by their spouses (Hass,
  Dutton, Orloff, 2000).
• Hispanics stay in abusive relationships longer
  than other racial / ethnic groups
• (Torres, 1991 Torres 1987).
• Hispanics are more likely than Whites to return
  to abusive relationships (Torres, 1987)
• 52 of Immigrant Latinas are still with their
  batterers (CIRRS, 1990)

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5. Why Does the Problem Need to be Solved?

• Humanitarian Concerns
• Congressional Mandate
• Growing Problem
• As Hispanics become a larger portion of the
  American Population, the problems faced by the
  Hispanic community have an increasingly
  detrimental effect on the overall health and
  productivity of the American population

Represents people of one-race who are not
Hispanic. Includes American Indian and Alaska
Natives, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific
Islanders, and people of Two or More
Races Source U.S. Census Bureau, 2004, "U.S.
Interim Projections by Age, Sex, Race, and
Hispanic Origin.
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6. Understanding and Solving the Problem
Scholarly Contributions

• Expanding the the Ecological Framework
• Providing a comprehensive, ecological view
  (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) of domestic violence among
  heterosexual couples of undocumented Hispanic
  immigrants living in the United States
• Using the Ecological Framework to Find Solutions
• Using the ecological framework to propose
  solutions instead of merely describing phenomena
  as do Perilla (1998) and Malley-Morrison Hines
  (2004).
• Adding Qualitative Data to Current Scholarship
• Sharing information from a qualitative survey
  distributed to 72 Nashville organizations

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7. Understanding and Solving the Problem
Research Methods

• Statistical, behavioral, and cultural research
• Qualitative Survey
• Service Learning
• Immigrant Legal Clinic (Tennessee Coalition
  Against Domestic and Sexual Violence)
• Translating Victims Testimonies
• Interviewing Advocates
• Filing U Visas

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8. Understanding and Solving the ProblemThe
Ecological Framework
Ecological Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) explains
how interactions within specific environments
(The Macrosystem, Exosystem, Mesosystem, and
Microsystem) dictate human behavior.
Macrosystem -- Society, Economy, Politics,
Language, Culture, and Law
Exosystem -- The Larger Community
Mesosystem -- An Individuals Immediate
Neighborhood
Microsystem -- Behavioral Genetics and an
Individuals Immediate Environment
(e.g. the home)
Source Derived from Bronfenbrenners 1979 theory
of Ecological Development
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9. Undocumented Hispanic Couples Applying the
Ecological Framework

Factors Which Aggravate Domestic Violence
Hispanic Cultural Scripts (e.g. Machismo),
Acculturative Stress, Undocumented Status,
Language Barriers, Inadequate Legal Remedies (U
Visas, Orders of Protection, etc.),
Discrimination, and Limited State and Federal
Domestic Violence Services.
Neighborhood Social Disorganization and Crime,
Poverty and Unemployment, Womens Employment,
Community Acceptance of Violence, and Inadequate
Local Domestic Violence Resources.
Genetic Predisposition to Violence, Age,
Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Dependency Relations
Between Partners (Economic, Linguistic,
Emotional, etc.), Learned Helplessness,
Posttraumatic Stress, and Social Learning of
Violence.
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10. What Are the (Ecological) Solutions to the
Problem?
Risk Factors (for Domestic Violence) Diminishing the Risk Factors
Language Barriers (? lack of knowledge about legal rights and resources) English Language Instruction in Hispanic Communities Bilingual Staff Publications for Social Service Organizations
Hispanic Cultural Scripts which Condone Violence (E.g. Marianismo, Machismo, Familismo, Respeto, Catholicism) Reinterpret Cultural Scripts by Emphasizing Positive Hispanic Cultural Values (e.g. family unity, respect, mutuality, and humility)
Dependency Relations (e.g. a woman may be dependent on her abuser for financial support and language interpretation) Create Womens Work / Support Groups and Community-Based Education Services so that women can survive without their abusers and can become equal contributors in their relationships
Social Learning of Domestic Violence (children who witness domestic violence may become abusers and victims as adults) Counseling for children whose parents are in abusive relationships
Inadequate Legal Remedies E.g. U Visas, orders of protection, imprisonment of abusers, mandatory arrest policies Current remedies give abused women few options if women want legal protection, they must leave and help deport their abusers (though this might not be in the womans economic and cultural interest) Legal remedies emphasize punishment instead finding / responding to the factors behind the abuse Expand womens choice of remedies Provide prevention services for domestic violence services (instead of only responding to abuse which has already happened) for both men and women Introduce culturally-appropriate mediation / counseling services and Restorative Justice approaches Reconcile competing immigration and domestic violence laws (e.g. INA Section 287g and VAWA)
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11. Selected Results (Qualitative Survey)
Q How would you characterize the relationship between prosecutors, judges, police, and the Hispanic/Latino community they serve? A There is little relationship. They Hispanic immigrants are afraid of the police and fear deportation (if applicable). The language barrier causes misunderstandings. --Dr. Carol H. Gibson (Crisis Counseling Supervisor Metro Nashville Police Department) A Either very good or very bad no middle ground. Some are wonderful in understanding the Latinospecific issues. Others are blatantly racist and disrespectful. --Legal Services Provider
Question 3 of the Legal and Advocacy Groups Survey Supplement - included in the Appendix. Source Erb (2008). The Appendix outlines the methods used to obtain data for the qualitative survey created for this research paper.
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12. Acknowledgments

• Faculty Sponsors
• Dr. Roger Conner (Vanderbilt Law School)
• Dr. Cynthia Wasick (Vanderbilt Dept. of Spanish
  and Portuguese)
• Financial Support
• Dr. Craig Smith the VUSRP Committee
• Service Learning Partners
• Atty. Robin Kimbrough (Tennessee Coalition
  Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
• Dr. Mark Dalhouse and Martha Dale (Vanderbilt
  Office of Active Citizenship and Service
• Elizabeth Reed (YW Shelter)
• Survey Participants