As the holiday season approaches, many of us look forward to warmth, family gatherings, and celebration. But for countless survivors of domestic violence, this time of year brings heightened fear and instability.
The reality is that domestic violence often escalates during the holidays.
In many Latino communities, the value placed on family is deep-rooted. Because of this, separating from a partner, even in an abusive situation, can feel like betrayal or failure. Family members often romanticize stories of men who relentlessly pursued women until they “made them theirs.”.
As we approach a new school year, we want to highlight this egregious type of abuse and its long-lasting effects on a survivor’s future. Academic Abuse manifests as a form of coercive control that both teens and adults are vulnerable to experiencing.
Self-care, often misconstrued as a luxury, takes on a profound significance for survivors of domestic violence. It becomes a transformative act of survival, resistance, and healing. In the face of chronic stress, trauma, and isolation, survivors often find little space for their own needs. However, self-care in this context becomes revolutionary, a means to reclaim control over one’s body, boundaries, time, and voice, instilling a sense of empowerment and hope.
Immigrant survivors, like anyone, may experience a variety of forms of intimate partner violence: such as physical, emotional, sexual, financial, spiritual, threats, and coercion. However, they also face unique and compounding risks. Language barriers, lack of culturally responsive services, and unfamiliarity with U.S. legal systems make it harder to seek help. Survivors may worry they won’t be believed because they don’t speak English fluently. They may fear that leaving an abusive partner will mean losing their children, their housing, or their chance at staying in the country. Many do not know their rights, and even in moments of extreme danger, feel they must choose between silence and exposure
In 1976, a coalition of San Francisco women—many of whom had experienced domestic violence first hand—recognized the dire lack of resources available to survivors. At the time, emergency shelters for women fleeing abuse were virtually nonexistent, and the legal, medical, and political systems largely ignored the issue. Women who left abusive partners faced the terrifying reality of homelessness, financial insecurity, and, often, further violence.
This June, La Casa De Las Madres spotlights Immigrant Heritage Month. Immigrants are at an essential and dynamic intersection as it relates to domestic violence. There are a myriad of socio-cultural, linguistic, economic, and political barriers that influence help-seeking and compromise survivor safety and well-being.
