Perhaps the most complex, problematic, and politically charged aspect of our identity is assignment of race or ethnicity.
Race is a cultural creation; it is not born of biological reality. The sub-division of the human species came about because of the dynamics of power and control and distribution of resources that privileged some and marginalized others.
In America, people born who appear to have white skin enjoy the privilege of being considered the “default” race. People of other races are usually asked to identify themselves in relation to this presumed dominant identity. Part of privilege is not having to think about race, skin color, or the myriad ways in which “white” people we are empowered by default. Dominant systems remain in place by going unexamined.
Therefore, racial identity presents increased barriers to victims/survivors receiving services; it can also play a role in the perpetuation of myths about the identity of perpetrators.
General Resources
- YWCA of Dane County: Race to Equity Report for Dane County, Racial Justice Summit 2018 Resources & Videos
- Freedom Inc. - Located in Madison, their mission is to "achieve social justice through coupling direct services with leadership development and community organizing that will bring about social, political, cultural, and economic change resulting in the end of violence against women, gender-non-conforming and transgender folks, and children within communities of color."
- National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC): Statement on Multilingual Access
- Language Line Solutions: Helping healthcare, government, insurance, utilities, and business entities communicate with their Limited English Proficient (LEP) customers in over 200 languages.
- Know your VI: Save Your VI is a campaign to raise awareness of students’ Title VI rights. The people behind Save Your VI are a group of primarily mothers of color in Northern California who have personal experience with discrimination in their children’s schools and with the Title VI grievance process.
- Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story: Novelist tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice (TED Talk)
- The myth of race, debunked in 3 minutes: Vox
- National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC): Back to Basics: Partnering with Survivors and Communities to Promote Health Equity at the Intersections of Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence
African American Resources
- Lilada's Living Room. Located in Madison, Lilada's Livingroom is "a safe place to heal—inspires survivors of sexual abuse to reclaim their spirits, minds and bodies!"
- TeamTeal365. Located in Milwaukee, TeamTeal365 "empowers and educates sexual abuse survivors to encourage dialogue about sexual abuse and prevention."
- The Women of Color Network, Inc.: Addressing unique challenges and ending domestic violence for all ALL WOMEN, women of color, their families and communities.” Also see Reports on Economic Security and Violence Against Women.
- Sexual Violence in the Lives of African American Women via VAWNet; by Carolyn M. West and Kalimah Johnson
- FAAN Mail Fostering Activism and Alternatives NOW! | media literacy and activist project formed by women of color; based in Philadelphia
Latinx Resources
- Rescursos en Español
- UNIDOS Against Domestic Violence: located in Madison, WI, UNIDOS has served Latino communities in Wisconsin since 1996. UNIDOS exists to empower the community to break the cycle of domestic violence, end sexual assault and promote healthy family systems. UNIDOS existe para capacitar a la comunidad para romper el ciclo de la violencia doméstica, terminar con el abuso sexual y promover sistemas de familia saludables.
- UMOS Latina Resource Center: Located in Milwaukee, WI, the UMOS Latina Resource Center provides advocacy and comprehensive victim services to adults, youth, and children who were impacted by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and/or human trafficking.
- RISE Law Center/Centro Legal RISE: of End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin is a nonprofit bilingual law center which provides direct representation to immigrants and refugees in immigration and family law as well as protection orders.
- La Linea de Ayuda Nacional Online del Asalto Sexual (RAINN)
- The Experience of Dating Violence Among Latino Adolescents - Penn State Harrisburg / Northeastern University 2013
- Existe Ayuda (Help Exists) Toolkit – OVC resource provides a variety of resources and information to help service providers in working with Spanish-speaking populations
- The Experience Of Sexual Victimization And Help-Seeking Among Latino Women: Summary report of the Sexual Assault Among Latinas (SALAS) study funded by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to study victimization and help-seeking among Latinas.
- SARCC (Sexual Assault Resource and Counseling Center, Lebanon, PA): Reaching Latino Victims of Sexual Violence Marketing Toolkit
- Injustice on our Plates: Report on immigrant women, Southern Poverty Law Center
- Justice Cancelled for Immigrant Women: What Advocates and Communities Should Know about the New Law Enforcement Immigration Policies and their Effects on Victims of Violence against Women and Children (English) (Espanol) (Women’s Justice Center, California)
Native American Resources
- American Indians Against Abuse (AIAA). AIAA is located in Hayward. "The primary intent of American Indians Against Abuse, Inc. is to firmly address and promote elimination of violence and other abuses against American Indian people within families and communities throughout the eleven Wisconsin tribes by supporting culturally sensitive programming specific to traditional customs, values and teachings."
- Tribal Court Clearinghouse A project of the Tribal Law and Policy Institute
- Tribal Law & Order Resource Center
- The Tribal Law and Order Act & Its Implications for Criminal Justice in Indian Country (webinar): National Criminal Justice Association
- Culturally Relevant Services for Tribal Communities and Communities of Color (NSVRC)
- Indigenous Ways of Knowing (IWOK): Tribal Equity Toolkit: Lewis & Clark University Graduate School of Education and Counseling
- Poem by 1491s, 'To the Indigenous Woman'
Hmong Resources
- Hmong American Friendship Association, Inc (HAFA) - HAFA was founded by Hmong refugees to help improve the quality of life for all Hmong refugee families in the Greater Milwaukee area.
- Hmong American Women's Association (HAWA) - Founded in 1993 by a group of thirteen women who had a strong passion to advocate, organize and share concerns reflected by women in the larger Hmong community. This organization advocates for social justice within the Hmong community throught collective action.
- The Women's Community - A non-profit organization serving victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault throughout Marathon County. Their Southeast Asian Program has bilingual, bicultural, Hmong-speaking advocates who work in conjunction with the other program advocates to provide specialized services to Southeast Asian victims of sexual and domestic abuse.
- The Family Center - Based in Wisconsin Rapids, it serves victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault in the capacity of advocacy and self-help/support groups, as well as transitional, visitation, and Hmong services. They host a 24-hour Hmong hotline (877-740-4292).