Julie Andersen's piercing blue eyes seem almost too striking for her muted surroundings. The few cubicle partitions, the laminated posters, an old Samsung microwave, and the miscellaneous assortment of holiday candles scattered about the conference room don't reflect the extraordinary and important work her office does.
Andersen is the interim executive director of UNIDOS Against Domestic Violence, a Madison-based nonprofit agency that strives to end domestic violence in Latino and migrant communities across Wisconsin. It is problem that not many people in the state understand, or even know about. And, although most recognize that the Latino population has been growing faster than any other minority group in the state-41% from 2000 to 2007, according to U.S. census data-many community service agencies have been slow to expand their services to meet the unique needs of immigrant and migrant communities.
The services these communities might benefit from include providing basic information in Spanish or offering cultural sensitivity training to staff members. Andersen points out many community service agencies just don't know how to do these things. "In a lot of places, they might say, '[Latinos] don't need our services because they aren't coming to our agency.' " Instead of ignoring this population, Andersen believes that these agencies need to reach out. "Okay, let's figure out why Latinos aren't coming to your agency," she says. "We know that in any community there is violence. You know it's here in the mainstream community, so it's going on within the Latino community. So let's figure out how to help them."
Immigrant victims of domestic violence, although they may suffer physical and emotional abuse, often refuse to speak out or ask for help because they fear legal repercussions. UNIDOS works to bring the issue of violence against immigrant and migrant women to the fore in Wisconsin. "I think a huge challenge that UNIDOS faces is a lack of understanding of the immigrant," Andersen says. "We operate under the belief that all people have the right to live a life free of violence." Her eyes radiate with conviction when talking about the women the office serves. "We could have a whole parade across the state of women who have been assisted by UNIDOS services. And they will say, 'You changed my life, you were my support.' But that's not true. We always say, 'We've been there for you so that you can change your life.' "
In Spanish, the word unidos means "united." UNIDOS advocates unite with already-established outreach and service agencies to help create welcoming, supportive environments for Latino and migrant victims of domestic violence. UNIDOS advocates currently work in a total of 16 counties across Wisconsin, with the program's six advocates covering three to four counties each. Their individual caseloads are heavy, but more work means more progress. The goal, according to Andersen, is to eventually expand UNIDOS's services across the entire state.
UNIDOS advocates meet mainly with women to assess their needs and help them develop a plan for if or when they decide to get out of a violent relationship. The plan may include short-term relief-such as assistance with filing a restraining order or access to emergency shelters-or long-term guidance, like helping victims file for rent assistance or a visa application, if the person is eligible. In some situations, all of these are necessary. Advocates also offer advice on obtaining marriage counseling and, if requested, information on how to obtain a divorce.
In addition to helping women on a personal level, UNIDOS advocates also provide training sessions on cultural awareness and sensitivity, legal advocacy, and domestic violence victims' rights to a variety of professionals who work for or on behalf of domestic violence victims. In Dane County, for example, UNIDOS advocates have led workshops for legal professionals on the special considerations and ethical issues involved when working with immigrant and refugee victims of domestic violence. As a next step in support for victims, UNIDOS launched a new campaign in June of 2008: Hombres y Jóvenes en Contra de la Violencia Doméstica, which is aimed at getting more men involved in the fight to prevent domestic violence. "Violence is not a part of Latino culture. Most Latino men are not violent-as is true in all cultures," says Andersen. "There are many beautiful things that are a part of Latino culture that support and promote healthy relationships. So the idea of this mens' and boys' program is to bring [them] out to say; 'You know what? I live free of violence.' And we have pledge cards that we are passing around."
While UNIDOS has faced many challenges over the years, it has also won praise and acknowledgment for its accomplishments within Wisconsin communities. Rachel Rodriguez, one of the co-founders and a recent executive director of UNIDOS, was honored with the highly prestigious Sally Sunde Child and Family Advocate Award from Community Shares in September of 2008. And then there are hundreds of individual successes: women who, with the support of UNIDOS, have made the choice to get out of a violent situation and move forward with their lives.
