A news update from the National Latin@ Network
Table of Contents

Blog
Tough Choices: A Young Mother's Decision to Leave an Abusive Relationship

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. This blog was written and submitted by a youth member of our Fuerza Unida Amig@s Youth initiative.

As teenagers, it can be hard to know the signs of what's a good relationship versus a bad relationship. We're still growing and learning from our life experiences and mistakes, and along the way many of us aren't able to recognize the early signs of an unhealthy relationship.

In my life, I became involved with a guy I thought I loved...

Click here to read the rest of this blog
NLN News
Blog Talk Radio Teen Dating Violence: A Closer Look

Thursday, February 16, 2017
2:30 - 3:00pm EST

Are you able to spot violence in a relationship? Do you know how to support a friend in an unhealthy relationship? To help answer these questions, Casa de Esperanza established Youth Amig@s, a program that engages Latinas in high school, creating a space for these questions to be addressed in a culturally responsive manner. Youth Amig@s' approach is to build capacity beyond just identifying the dynamics of teen dating violence and explore skills and resources needed to combat this problem.

The blog talk radio will explore:
  • The warning signs of an unhealthy relationship
  • The different types of abuse in relationships and how to support a friend that is experiencing an unhealthy relationship
  • Consent and how culture influences this idea
Presenters: Ivette Izea-Martinez, Community Engagement Manager, Nallely Castro Montoya, Youth Initiatives Specialist, Karla T. Ayala, Family- Youth Advocate, Casa de Esperanza: Youth Amig@s.

Webinar Community Lead Innovative Youth Leaders Program

Wedensday, February 22, 2017
1:00 - 2:30 pm EST

During this webinar, participants will learn about innovative ways in which Enlace Comunitario, a social justice organization led by Latina immigrants whose mission is to eliminate domestic violence in the Latino immigrant community and promote healthy families in Central New Mexico, engages young people to develop their leadership through peer-to-peer learning promoting healthy relationships to prevent teen dating violence.

Objectives:
  • Engage in a discussion about the opportunities and challenges of engaging Latino young people in shaping Teen Dating Violence prevention strategies and solutions.
  • Share examples of the work being done by Enlace Comunitario's prevention team with a focus on the work with Latino youth leaders.
  • Identify tools and resources to better support and build infrastructure for authentic youth engagement in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.
Presenters: Jose Luis Reyes, Youth Leader, Cynthia Jimenez, Youth Project Coordinator, and Virginia Perez-Ortega, Prevention Co-Director; Enlace Comunitario

Conference  5th  Annual Latin@ Youth Conference

Saturday, February 25 
8:45am - 4pm
Inver Grove Heights, MN

REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE ON February  20th, 2017

Our Youth Amig@s at Casa de Esperanza have been working diligently to put together the 5th Annual Latin@ Youth Conference in recognition of February as Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. This year's conference theme is  Empowering Communities y Tomando Acción.

The Latin@ Youth Conference's goal is to provide Latin@ youth ages 11-18 with an opportunity to attend a fun-filled, one-day summit and take part in discussions and activities that will enhance their awareness on topics, such as:
  • Human/Labor Trafficking
  • Self-Care through Art and Yoga
  • Drug Abuse
  • Healthy & Unhealthy Relationships
  • LGBTQ
During the conference, the youth will have an opportunity to meet and hear from members of Inver Hills Community College on college access. There will be other special guests and some amazing prizes!

Join us for this FREE one day event on Saturday February 25 from 8:45am -4pm at Inver Hills Community College in Inver Grove Heights, MN.

This conference is open to the first 50 youth who register.


For additional information, or to register, please contact Nallely Castro Montoya, Youth Initiatives Specialist at 651.646.5553 or at  [email protected]

 
Break the Cycle outlines TDVAM activities
 
Love is Respect outlines TDVAM activities
 
Have an orange outfit in mind? Next, help us spread the word by  telling everyone  and posting pictures of you and your friends wearing orange on   facebook.com/loveisrespect  and  @loveisrespect.

Thunderclap on February 17
"Remember: love is not abuse. Everyone deserves a safe & healthy relationship! #RespectWeek2017 #loveisrespect http://thndr.me/b4b1By"
Click here to join this Thunderclap
ACLU publishes wallet cards with immigrant rights if detained
 
The ACLU created bilingual wallet-sized cards that provide an overview of what to do and what rights one has if ICE or local police should detain someone on charges of illegal immigration. 

Wallet-sized cards

One-pager

New additions to informedimmigrant.com
 
The newly expanded InformedImmigrant.com includes sortable listings of more than 700 organizations across the country that help connect immigrants to legal services, plan and organize against deportation, understand their rights, and organize for local policy change.

InformedImmigrant.com resources section has also expanded from 4 articles to 150, and resources are now sortable by category - including DACA, mental health, educator information, advocacy campaigns, community organizing toolkits, legal tips, and know your rights guides.



Building Evidence for Domestic Violence Services & Interventions: A Framing Paper
 
In April 2016 the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) contracted with the Center for Policy Research and the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence to host a two day roundtable convening of experts to discuss opportunities to build the evidence base for domestic violence (DV) services.  This framing paper provided background information for that discussion.  

This paper: 1) briefly summarizes and critiques the current state of rigorous evidence on core DV victim services; 2) identifies some key challenges that have limited the development of-and evidence base for-core services; 3) identifies a number of strategies that could assist in building the evidence base; and 4) outlines some areas of opportunity for strengthening future research and evaluation. 

Click here to read this report
FORGE: Sheltering trans and non-binary survivors 

Webinars

Publications 
Click here for all network news and resources
Æquitas presents webinars and reports about intimate partner violence

Report: 
The Internet & Intimate Partner Violence: Technology Changes, Abuse Doesn't

One of the more popular narratives of online harassment or abuse is that the perpetrator is a stranger. Or that the perpetrator is a misguided youth using the anonymity of the Internet to express anti-social behaviors that he can't get away with in real life. Another narrative is of sexual perversion, in which older, entitled men groom underage girls into sharing sexual images or videos and meeting up with them.

 Click here to continue reading.

Webinar:
Body Worn Cameras and Gender-Based Violence: Practical Considerations from the Prosecution Perspective

February 23, 2017 | 2:00PM - 3:00PM EST

This presentation will discuss many of the issues law enforcement, prosecutors, forensic examiners, and other allied professionals must consider when BWCs are used in GBV investigations. The presenter will discuss the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration - at the local, state, and federal levels - in order to develop effective BWC policies that address victim safety, privacy, and autonomy. The presenter will also discuss issues such as deactivation of a BWC at appropriate points during the investigation, privacy and safety considerations, discovery, redaction, protective orders limiting dissemination, and requests under freedom of information or open records statutes. 

Click here to register for this webinar.
Webinar Preventing and Addressing Gender-Based Violence in the Lives of Older Women: What We Do and Don't Know

Thursday, February 16, 2017
9:00 - 10:30 am MST

Join CHANGE for a special presentation and discussion about new research on older women and gender-based violence. This interactive webinar will convene researchers, policy experts, and advocates to discuss a life course approach to women's sexual and reproductive health and rights. Speakers will preview exclusive new research that is not yet in print on causes of and solutions to violence against older women. Speakers will also discuss gender norms and sexual rights, and will present the multi-agency "Violence Against Women and Girls Resource Guide: Brief on Violence Against Older Women" and Human Rights Watch's new report "Zimbabwe: Widows Deprived of Property Rights: Property Grabbing Leaves Many Older Women Destitute." 

Presenters: 
Bethany Brown, Researcher, Health and Human Rights Division, Human Rights Watch (speaker) 

Cailin Crockett, Special Assistant to the Acting Assistant Secretary for Aging in the US Department of Health and Human Services (speaker) 

Jennifer McCleary-Sills, Senior Program Officer for Gender Equality, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (speaker) 

Bergen Cooper, Director of Policy Research, CHANGE (moderator)
 
Click here to register for this webinar
Conference  What Works: Identifying and Preventing Gender Bias in the Criminal Justice System's Response to Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault 

February 27 - March 1, 2017
Jacksonville, Florida

**This conference is open to ALL OVW GRANTEES. There are also a limited number of seats (10) available for the general public.

Join the Battered Women's Justice Project (BWJP) and a group of esteemed national experts in sunny Jacksonville, Florida for a stimulating two and a half day conference. This training will provide law enforcement, prosecutors and advocates the opportunity to connect with peers from around the country to examine and discuss the impact of gender bias on the criminal justice system's response to domestic and sexual violence. Framed by the recent Department of Justice guidance, "Identifying and Preventing Gender Bias in Law Enforcement Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence," participants will have the opportunity to identify how gender bias is at work in their own systems and learn ways to address it.

Featured Speakers: 
Russell Strand, Mark Wynn, Hillary Potter, Ph.D., and many other experts
 
Click here for more information and to register
OVW announces Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program solicitation for FY 2017

Register by: Jan. 26, 2017
Applications due: Feb. 16, 2017

Eligible applicants are limited to: Private nonprofit entities, publicly funded organizations not acting in a governmental capacity, territorial organizations, Indian tribal governments, tribal organizations, and Indian tribal consortia. 
Funding may be used to provide direct legal services to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. OVW's Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program seeks to develop innovative, collaborative projects that provide quality representation to victims. 
OVW will hold a pre-application information session for interested parties. See the solicitation for details. 

OVC announces three grants to combat human trafficking


Application Deadline: Feb. 27, 2017 
OVC and BJA will award between $600,000 and $900,000 to law enforcement agencies and victim service providers to work collaboratively to enhance multidisciplinary human trafficking task forces that combat sex and labor trafficking of foreign nationals and U.S. citizens of all sexes and ages.  


Application Deadline: Feb. 21, 2017 
OVC will make up to 13 awards of up to $750,000 to enhance the quality and quantity of services available to assist victims of all forms of human trafficking by enhancing inter-agency collaboration and the coordinated community response to victims of human trafficking, and by providing high-quality services that address the individual needs of trafficking victims.

 
Application Deadline: Feb. 13, 2017 
OVC will make up to two awards of up to $1.5 million each for states or tribes to develop, enhance, and coordinate programs and activities geared toward improving outcomes for child and youth victims of sex and labor trafficking. 
Futures Without Violence: Policy Analyst/Policy Attorney for Children and Youth

Location: Washington DC

The Policy Analyst/Policy Attorney for Children and Youth Programs will lead policy analysis and policyrelated technical assistance on two new initiatives responding to the connection between intimate partner violence and child abuse and serve as the organization's point person on crafting policies to prevent and mitigate the harm of violence and trauma in families with children. These programs present enormous opportunities to promote the safety and well-being of children and their families who have experienced violence, using a two-generation approach. The Policy Analyst/Policy Attorney also will be expected to help create momentum and urgency to advance a national conversation on behalf of children who are exposed to violence with a particular focus on children in the child welfare system and early childhood programs. This position will report jointly to the Director of Children and Youth programs and Director of Public Policy and will be located in Washington, D.C.

Asian Family Support Services of Austin: Arabic, Burmese & Vietnamese Language Access Program (LAP) Advocate positions

AFSSA is seeking to hire part-time Language Access Program (LAP) Advocates to work with Asian survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence and trafficking. The LAP advocate will serve as the communication and cultural bridge between AFSSA staff and various Asian communities by participating in one or both programs according to his/her preference:

A. Community Education, providing interpretation and/or translation services for the Community Education team, supporting the work of the CE team with respect to outreach in communities on domestic violence and sexual assault prevention activities. This includes but it not limited to developing and maintaining community contacts, helping coordinate booths and presentation opportunities for AFSSA in the specific communities, and supporting the development and review of community specific literature and giveaways. LAP's will work closely with the CE Team to coordinate these activities, and/or 

B. Direct Services: providing interpretation and/or translation for the clients whom AFSSA's staff advocates work with to provide emotional support for victims, accompany clients to important meetings, assist with helpline calls and other advocacy services as necessary. 

Now accepting submissions

We welcome submissions on a number of topics pertaining to domestic violence, family violence, and gender-based violence. These topics include, but are not limited to:
  • Gender-based violence intervention and prevention programs that are culturally specific
  • Working with Latin@ youth
  • Working with immigrant Latin@s
  • Health care and gender-based violence
  • LGBTQ Latin@ communities
  • Children and domestic violence
  • Building Latin@ leadership in Latin@ communities
  • Elder abuse
We also welcome photography, video, resources, and other digital material that organizations or people wish to share with our network.

If you're interested in submitting a blog post,  click here to email Rebecca De Leon, Communications and Marketing Coordinator

ABOUT THE NATIONAL LATIN@ NETWORK FOR HEALTHY FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES

The National Latin@ Network for Healthy Families and Communities is a network of individuals and organizations committed to improving the health and well-being of Latin@ communities. The National Latin@ Network is led by Casa de Esperanza, a national Latina organization whose mission is to mobilize Latinas and Latin@ communities to end domestic violence. The National Latin@Network for Healthy Families and Communities builds on Casa de Esperanza´s experience working in local communities to support families, end domestic violence, and increase meaningful access to services for Latina@s and incorporates a research center, public policy initiative, and training.

National Latin@ Network | http://www.nationallatinonetwork.org | 651.646.5553


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