Culturally Specific Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services Programs

Alaafia Women's Corporation

Established in 2015, Alaafia is a culturally specific organization founded by a collective of African immigrants. Their shared aspiration was to positively impact the lives of fellow immigrant families grappling with challenges related to Sexual/Domestic Violence and Sickle Cell.

The founders envision a platform where African immigrant and Sickle Cell families can exercise their voices, actively participating in discussions concerning their well-being. This is achieved through the means of storytelling and educational initiatives.

https://alaafiaafrc.org/

Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project

Washington, DC

The Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project (DVRP) was established in 1996 to ensure Asian/Pacific Islander (A/PI) abuse survivors in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia have access to culturally and linguistically appropriate services.

DVRP provides free and confidential assistance and referral services to survivors in more than 20 A/PI languages, trains A/PI community leaders to recognize signs of domestic violence and respond effectively to the needs of survivors in their community, provides cultural humility trainings to domestic violence program staff, and offers technical assistance and consultation on working with A/PI survivors.

DVRP will enhance its response to DV and SA in A/PI communities through; direct case management, increased awareness of and access to economic empowerment and mental health supports; implementation of a new Volunteer Mentorship Project to amplify DVRP’s economic justice and community education work.

https://www.dvrp.org/

Asians Against Domestic Abuse

Founded in 2001, Asians Against Domestic Abuse (AADA) provides culturally sensitive and language-specific services to domestic violence survivors from the Greater Asian (Asian American, Middle Eastern and North African) community in Houston, Texas, and surrounding counties. 

AADA offers transitional housing and other supportive services including advocacy, legal assistance, mental health services, financial literacy, English-language classes, and community resources. The organization promotes equal and healthy family relationships within the Greater Asian community through supportive services, survivor empowerment, public awareness, and collaboration with organizations sharing similar goals.

With funding from OFVPS, AADA will enhance its range of services including life coaching sessions for survivors, recreational programs for children, job education and training, legal advocacy, and case management.

https://www.aadainc.org/

Boat People SOS

Falls Church, VA

BPSOS' (Boat People SOS) Community Against Domestic Violence (CADV) program was established in 2002. Its goal is to assist underserved victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking to gain access to protection and culturally specific, trauma-informed services to live a safe life with dignity.

Since its establishment, BPSOS's CADV program has helped thousands of Vietnamese Americans in the US to recognize and understand the symptoms of domestic violence through case managers' efforts in educating our community members; they were aware of the consequences that domestic violence has on a family, as well as how to prevent them in the first place.

https://bpsos.org/us-programs/domestic-violence

Caminar Latino, Inc.

Doraville, GA

Caminar Latino, based in Atlanta, Georgia, has operated for the last 33 years as one of the only culturally specific, community-based organizations in the country providing simultaneous sharing groups for all members of Latino families experiencing domestic violence. Caminar Latino’s programs are designed by and for Latino survivors of domestic violence to respond to each person’s needs.

Participating families receive services tailored to their needs, and each family receives services and interventions defined by the survivors. In this way, Caminar Latino provides holistic, culturally sensitive, and linguistically appropriate treatment to the whole family.

Funding support from OFVPS will support comprehensive services to approximately 100 Latino survivors of domestic violence and 100 Latino youth annually.

https://caminarlatino.org/

Center for the Pacific Asian Family

Center for the Pacific Asian Family (CPAF) was founded in 1978 to help address domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse within the Los Angeles Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities.

In 1981, CPAF opened the first multi-lingual and multi-cultural domestic violence emergency shelter in the nation that specialized in serving API survivors. CPAF also has the first multi-lingual and multi-cultural transitional program focusing on the needs of survivors who seek to establish independent, violence-free lives.

Their multi-lingual 24-hour helpline assisting API survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault is also the first of its kind in the nation. They provide a wide range of comprehensive services, all free of charge, in up to 30 API languages. Helpline: 1-800-339-3940

https://nurturingchange.org/who-we-are

Chicanos Por La Causa

Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC) formed in 1969 to fight discrimination against the Mexican American community. Inspired by Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez, they advocate for equity in education, politics, and labor conditions.

Today, CPLC provides services to people of all backgrounds while honoring the organization’s Mexican American roots.

Chicanos Por La Causa is an advocate for underserved individuals and communities. They believe that everyone deserves the power to live a meaningful life. Unfortunately, structural inequities create barriers for too many, closing off opportunities and fueling injustice.

They have offices located in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas, impacting almost 1 million lives every year.

https://cplc.org/

Delta Health Alliance, Inc.

Stoneville, MS

Delta Health Alliance (DHA) is an innovative partnership that binds together communities of the Mississippi Delta to improve the quality of life. Comprised of more than 40 programs focused on every stage of growth, DHA offers the tools, guidance and resources to meet the needs and challenges of those who call the Delta and surrounding area their home. 

DHA serves victims of domestic violence and sexual assault through its Delta SAFE (Security and Access for Family Excellence) collaborative, a comprehensive, community-based, culturally specific approach designed by and for living in impoverished, rural communities of the Mississippi Delta.

With funding from OFVPS, DHA will: 1) deliver evidence-based, trauma-informed, culturally-specific interventions in rural, majority-Black communities of the Delta; 2) provide comprehensive healthcare and behavioral health services for trauma victims; 3) facilitate linkages to social services including safe housing, transportation, and childcare; 4) ensure access to legal counseling; and 5) provide referral-based advocacy on behalf of survivors and their dependents.

https://deltahealthalliance.org/

Domestic Violence Action Center

Domestic Violence Action Center (DVAC) was founded in 1990 and incorporated in 1991. DVAC is committed to addressing domestic violence and other forms of harm through leadership, unique services, legal representation, housing, survivor and system advocacy, community education, and social change work. With high quality and culturally sensitive programs, delivered with integrity and compassion, they are creating safety and self-sufficiency for survivors and their children.

They are the only agency in the community with a full complement of services to assist as a victim navigates the system and moves their life to freedom and self-sufficiency.

Oahu Helpline: 808-531-3771

Toll Free Helpline: 800-690-6200

https://domesticviolenceactioncenter.org/

East Los Angeles Women’s Center

The East Los Angeles Women’s Center (ELAWC) was founded in 1976 by a small group of dedicated Latinas in East Los Angeles who established the first-in-the-nation bilingual hotline for Spanish—speaking survivors of sexual assault. Today ELAWC is a leading voice and advocate for survivors and their families affected by sexual, domestic, and intimate partner violence, HIV/AIDS, and the intersection of homelessness. They deliver innovative, comprehensive, and culturally responsive services that build on a foundation of trauma-informed, evidence-based practices designed to heal, support, protect, and empower the communities they serve. ELAWC has earned a reputation as a trusted and compassionate resource working to empower and transform lives — and the lives of future generations.

https://www.elawc.org/

International Council for Refugees and Immigrants

Omaha, NE

The International Council for Refugees and Immigrants (ICRI) delivers immediate philanthropic support to equip vulnerable and underserved refugees and immigrant populations by providing culturally and linguistically appropriate client-centered services and advocacy.

https://icrius.org/

Isuroon

Isuroon is a women-led, community-driven organization motivated by the belief that Somali women deserve to be healthy and have a strong voice. Isuroon is a linguistic and cultural bridge connecting women and their families with wellness information, trusted healthcare providers, financial literacy, civic engagement, and leadership. For health care providers and policymakers, Isuroon partners to improve outcomes and decrease disparity through culturally competent training and research.

https://www.isuroon.org/

KAN-WIN

In the late 1980s, women's advocates and social service providers came together in response to the growing demand for domestic violence services in the Korean-American community. Out of these discussions came the formation of KAN-WIN.  KAN-WIN was officially founded on August 15, 1990, on the 45th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule. This historical date signifies KAN-WIN’s vision of a world free from oppression and violence.

KAN-WIN works to eradicate gender-based violence through comprehensive, survivor-centered services, education, and outreach to Asian American communities and beyond.

https://www.kanwin.org/

La Clinica del Pueblo, Inc.

Since 1983, La Clínica del Pueblo has been addressing the distinct health needs of the community through comprehensive primary medical care with wrap-around services across the life spectrum; mental health and substance use treatment; medical interpretation and language access advocacy; community health, including health education and safe spaces; and advocacy strategies to increase inclusion and health equity for Latino immigrants.

https://www.lcdp.org/

License to Freedom

El Cajon, CA

For almost 20 years, License to Freedom has provided culturally specific domestic violence and sexual assault survivor services to Middle Eastern and East African refugees/immigrants in San Diego County. They promote peaceful, loving, and safe relationships within the diverse immigrant and refugee communities of San Diego. This is accomplished through services and strategies that build resilience and self-sufficiency, support healing from trauma and violence, and advocacy for equity and justice.

They believe immigrants and refugees regardless of gender, country of origin, age, sexual orientation, ability, or religious belief have freedom to thrive and live happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives. They empower refugees and immigrants to overcome barriers that limit their success by encouraging their personal and professional growth, promoting and encouraging healthy relationships, community building and community development through social engagement and positive community support systems.

Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers, Inc.

Cambridge, MA

The Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) was established in 1993 to serve members of the Brazilian, Cabo Verdean, Portuguese and other Portuguese-speaking communities by increasing access and removing barriers to health, education and social services through direct services, advocacy, leadership, and community development.

Over the past five years, MAPS has seen an increased need for holistic mental health services for families, including those impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and family violence. MAPS will respond to this need by using OVFPS funding to increase staff capacity to enhance culturally-specific DV/SA outreach and service delivery for survivors, improve family violence prevention services, and incorporate mental health services for families, including children and seniors, within its mainly low-income, immigrant target population.

The project will offer individual counseling, family therapy, survivor support groups, case management, safety planning, and interpretation/translation services, as well as provide information, referrals and accompaniment to rape crisis centers, medical service providers, shelters and other housing programs, and legal advocacy groups.

https://maps-inc.org/

Metropolitan Family Services

Since 1857, Metropolitan Family Services have helped to empower families to learn, earn, heal, and thrive. Founded as the Chicago Relief and Aid Society, they have help families get through the devastating hardships of poverty, world wars, epidemics, and natural disasters.

Today Metropolitan Family Services assists more than 117,000 families and individuals annually through seven community centers in Chicago, with 81% being part of the working poor or lower-middle class.

Metropolitan Family Services intends to increase its capacity to deliver quality and evidence based, trauma-informed, developmentally sensitive, and culturally relevant domestic violence services to the Latinx population in Chicago.

https://www.metrofamily.org/

Metro Organization to Counter Sexual Assault

In 1969, a metropolitan-wide coalition of criminal justice, health, mental health, and other professionals came together with committed advocates to address the needs of those who had been sexually assaulted. In 1972, they created an organization dedicated to educating the broad bi-state Kansas City area, launched an emergency hotline, and took action 24/7.

That group evolved and incorporated in 1975 to become the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA), serving as the Kansas City area rape crisis center. Over the years, MOCSA has continually expanded to meet the needs of victims and our community.

MOCSA exists to improve the lives of those impacted by sexual abuse and assault and to prevent sexual violence in our community.

https://mocsa.org/

Mission Righteous Roots

Gatesville, TX

Mission Righteous Roots is a non-profit, faith-based ministry that is dedicated to strengthening and empowering individuals, families, and communities by providing accessible resources, education, and advocacy to those experiencing past or present abuse or anyone impacted by a crime in five counties of Central Texas.

MRR was founded as a volunteer initiative to fill significant service gaps and quickly expanded to provide a continuum of direct services, advocacy, education, and survivor resources - all provided for free by three staff members and 50 regular volunteers.

With funding support from OFVPS, MRR aims to build its organizational and community capacity to reduce the pervasive and harmful impact of violence and trauma by increasing the number of clients receiving trauma and evidence-informed services, enhancing and expanding culturally and linguistically appropriate services, and establishing and developing community resources through collaborative partnerships.

https://righteousroots.org/

My Sister’s House

Sacramento, CA

Established 2001, due to a gap in culturally specific services for historically underserved Asian and Pacific Islander (API) survivors, My Sister’s House became Sacramento’s first agency to address battering in the community. They provide ongoing crisis services, housing, legal support, counseling, supportive services, and employment training and support for women who are victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and human trafficking in their community.

Their mission is to serve API, Eastern and Muslim, and other diverse underserved women and children survivors in the greater Sacramento Valley region by providing a culturally appropriate and responsive safe haven, job training, and community services.

24-Hour Multi-lingual Help Line: 916-428-3271

Nevada Urban Indians, Inc.

Nevada Urban Indians Inc. is an organization located in Northern Nevada, which is home to the Great Basin Tribes, that provides medical clinic and health wellness programs to American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN). Their mission is to enhance the well-being of AI/AN, and other underserved members of the community through health care, social services, cultural awareness, and education.

The Nevada Urban Indians Inc. receives a high number of Native-identifying victims of violence within their area. To help support AI/AN communities, their victim services program, which has been in operation for more than 25 years aims to expand and enhance compassionate delivery of services, empowering victims to leave abusive circumstances.

Pacific Community of Alaska

Led by Pacific Islander leaders and rooted in Pacific Islander values, the Pacific Community of Alaska (PCA) works to develop and strengthen Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NH/PI) communities throughout Alaska by building capacity through health and wellness practices, civic engagement, economic empowerment, bridging generational gaps, and balancing traditional values.

In March 2023, PCA launched its Alaska Pasifika Safe Homes Program to provide culturally specific safe homes and supportive community environments that address and reduce instances of DV/SA in underserved communities. The program serves five geographic areas with the highest number of NH/PI residents across Alaska: Anchorage, Matanuska-SusitnaValley, Fairbanks, Juneau,and Utqiagvik.

PCA will use its OFVPS grant award to implement prevention, direct services, partnerships, training, and workforce capacity activities in support survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, with special focus on the needs of survivors from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Two-Spirited (LGBTQ2S) community.

https://www.pcalaska.org/

Para Los Ninos

Inspired by a Los Angeles Times article about the plight of children living on Skid Row in Downtown Los Angeles, Social Worker Tanya Tull created the first children’s social services agency in the Los Angeles area in 1980. Today, they continue to serve the Los Angeles Area’s neediest children and families, placing education at the core of their work. In keeping with their original mission to help children thrive, their model — of early-education, TK-8th grade education, youth workforce services, and family and community services — provides a comprehensive, holistic approach to break the cycle of poverty and help children, youth, and families reach their full potential.

They bring together education, early intervention, mental health, public health, community engagement, and leadership development to serve the whole child, whole family, and communities in which families reside.

SafeHaven of Tarrant County

Arlington, TX

SafeHaven of Tarrant County (SHTC) is a domestic violence prevention and intervention agency located in North Texas that has worked to domestic violence for the past 46 years through direct services, support, prevention, and social change advocacy.

The Project Change Student Assistance Program (Project Change) is the centerpiece of SHTC’s prevention efforts. Project Change is a coordinated community response to the impact of domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual assault on the community and its residents. The initiative serves students and families by implementing a full continuum of strategies for children and youth who are victims experiencing or exposed to domestic violence, dating violence, or sexual assault.

SHTC will use its grant award from OFVPS to support the ongoing implementation of Project Change guided by evidence that shows that increasing students’ knowledge of domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual assault will drastically reduce their risk of becoming future abusers or victims.

https://www.safehaventc.org/

Saheli Inc.

Burlington, MA

Saheli is a non-profit organization established in 1996 with a mission to empower South Asian (SA) and Arab immigrant women and families to lead safe and healthy lives by providing culturally responsive, trauma-informed domestic violence intervention, prevention and support services in underserved communities. Headquartered in Burlington MA, Saheli offers a bilingual helpline, housing assistance, legal assistance, and mental health services that reach more than 300 survivors annually from at least 10 different linguistic backgrounds. 

Saheli will use funding from OFVPS to increase the number of SA and Arab domestic violence survivors and their children who have access to culturally-specifc, trauma-informed and evidence-based mental health services; expand outreach and engagement activities directed at hard-to-reach survivors in new immigrant communities; and develop a curriculum and training to strengthen culturally-competent service delivery among providers.

South Dakota Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault

The South Dakota Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault is a non-profit agency comprised of diverse caring people dealing with the concerns of domestic violence and sexual assault victims all over the state. Their programs employ and support individuals of all racial, social, religious, and economic groups, ages, abilities, and lifestyles where rural, urban, and tribal areas are proudly represented.

This program will be in partnership with the Pan-Tribal Multidisciplinary Team and led by a Tribal Elder to implement tribal specific and culturally relevant supportive services for the tribes and tribal communities in South Dakota and the surrounding areas.

Their mission is to work together to promote victim rights for all. All their programs and services are rooted firmly in the belief that people victimized by crime have the right to assume power over their own lives by making informed choices regarding their empowerment journey. 

Taller Salud Inc.

Loiza, PR

Taller Salud is a community-based, feminist organization that was established in 1979 to improve women's access to health, reducing violence in community settings and fostering economic development through education and activism.

One of Taller Salud’s initiatives is the Tu Paz Cuenta (“Your Peace Matters”) project, which is the only community-based program that provides culturally-specific services to Hispanic (Spanish-speaking), Latina, and Afro-Caribbean adult victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in the northeast region of Puerto Rico.

Taller Salud will provide advocacy, case management services, and information and referral services concerning issues related to culturally specific sexual assault and domestic violence services through the 24-hour support hotline; reduce traumatic stress reactions for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence and their children from racial and ethnic-specific populations, underserved, and historically marginalized communities by providing Economic Emergency Assistance; and develop regional research with a local task force to examine the dynamics of culture and its impact on victimization and healing after domestic violence or sexual assault.

https://www.tallersalud.com/

Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation Inc.

Texas Muslim Women's Foundation's (TMWF) mission is to empower, promote, and support all women and their families through education, outreach, philanthropy, and social services.

TMWF recognizes the need for a cross-cultural understanding of issues related to domestic violence and abuse. TMWF is a culturally sensitive and trauma-informed agency that acknowledges that several factors influence a person's experience of a situation and related trauma.

TMWF services are provided by culturally diverse and multilingual staff who can speak over 15 languages.

https://tmwf.org/

The Center for Hope and Healing, Inc.

Lowell, MA

The Center for Hope and Healing is located in Lowell, Massachusetts, where it provides trauma and resilience-informed support and safe spaces for survivors to heal through the provision of individual and group counseling, legal and medical advocacy, resources and referrals, and a 24-hour crisis hotline.

CHH uses a social justice framework to prevent sexual violence, advance equity, educate, raise awareness, and organize in the communities it serves and beyond. All CHH services are free and confidential, regardless of insurance, income, citizenship, or any other barriers, and the organization is committed to serving survivors of all identities, expressions, and life experiences.

CHH’s grant award from OFVPS will enable the organization to enhance access to equitable intervention services for Black women survivors through community partnership, capacity building and mobile services — an outreach model that brings resources and services to survivors to “meet them where they are.”   

https://chhinc.org/

Tri-County Community Action Agency, Inc.

Bridgeton, NJ

The Tri-County Community Action Agency, Inc., which operates as the Gateway Community Action Partnership, was founded as part of the 1964 Economic Opportunity Act that was passed by Congress following President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “War on Poverty” declaration. In alignment with its founding principles, the Gateway Community Action Partnership works to improve the quality of life and promote self-sufficiency through an array of programs and services.

One such program is the Gateway Wellness Center Violence Prevention Project. With funding support from OFVPS, the Gateway Wellness Center will build organizational and local capacity as well as strengthen strategic partnerships to deliver a community-based violence prevention program that provides culturally specific, trauma-informed, evidence-informed interventions and holistic services for individuals and families from diverse, underserved, and historically marginalized communities, particularly African American and Latinx populations in New Jersey’s Cumberland and Salem counties.

https://gatewaycapwellnesscenter.com

Ujima, Inc. The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community

Washington, DC

Launched in 2016, Ujima Inc., The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community serves as a national, culturally specific special issue resource center to provide support to and be a voice for the Black community in response to domestic, sexual and community violence.

Ujima’s grant award from OFVPS supports a new initiative that is an outgrowth of a project titled Women Transforming Families: Rising to End Oppression, Violence and the Legacy of Trauma (WTF: REVOLT).

This new initiative — known as the Underground Railroad Project — aims to: 1) build the capacity of culturally specific, Black community-based organizations in Detroit to serve and support Black families who are experiencing domestic and sexual violence, and are at risk of being surveilled, monitored, and/or possibly separated from their children by the Michigan Children’s Protective System; 2) provide strategies that keep Black children safe and together with the non-offending parent; and 3) provide strategies that hold the offending parent accountable for causing or exacerbating harm to the child(ren) and the non-offending parent in Black families. Planned activities include listening sessions; storytelling events; townhall meetings; and training and technical assistance.

https://ujimacommunity.org/

United Indian Health Services

The United Indian Health Services (UIHS) is a non-profit healthcare organization that was established in 1970 to serve the health needs of the American Indians/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) in eight clinic sites a rural area of Northwestern California which encompasses the ancestral lands of Wiyot, Hupa, Tolowa, Karuk and Yurok tribes.

With violence and control becoming more pervasive in AI/AN communities following the colonization of the AI/AN people, the goals and objectives of their violence prevention work will include finding supportive measures within traditional AI/AN cultural strength that will support the understanding and acceptance that violence-free environments are intrinsic of AI/AN cultural strengths. Their organization will help create, fortify, and enhance pathways for client care that provides support for AI/AN youth, children, adults and their families experiencing or being exposed to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and family violence in their local communities.

We all Rise: African-American Resource Center

The vision of We All Rise is to create and help restore a vibrant African American community. Through uplifting, skill building, and intentionally targeting root causes of systemic oppression, they actively promote the healing of all.

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The mission of We All Rise calls for the collective liberation of African Americans navigating at the margins of society.

https://www.weallriseaarc.org/

Women's Initiative for Self Empowerment

Saint Paul, MN

The mission of the Women's Initiative for Self Empowerment is to support immigrant and refugee women, girls and those on the feminine gender spectrum in their journey of self-actualization through culturally-responsive education, advocacy, systems change and resource development. WISE believes it is a basic human right for all to access quality education, have reproductive freedom, and to live free of violence.

WISE will use its funding from OFPVS to implement a range of activities that include conducting a community strengths and needs assessment; developing prevention strategies and tools; providing active bystander training to students, school personnel and Hmong community members; conducting outreach to Hmong victims/survivors community-wide; conducting outreach and education for parents with a focus on cyberstalking and grooming; providing crisis intervention and advocacy services to primary and secondary victims/survivors including legal advocacy and transitional housing services; and training school personnel training on trauma-informed, culturally-responsive prevention/intervention responses to Hmong victims/survivors.

https://www.womenofwise.org/

YWCA of Kauai

Lihue, HI

Founded in 1921, Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) of Kauai is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. Their early mission was to help young women who had very few or no contacts outside the home. In their 100-year history, the needs of Kauai’s residents have changed greatly, and the work of YWCA Kauai has evolved to meet those needs.

Today, their programs focus on women’s empowerment, racial justice, and violence prevention and intervention in response to sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse. They seek to eliminate family violence in all its forms, provide treatment to those who have been traumatized by violence, and provide the skills necessary for individuals who were once violent to live productive and caring lives. YWCA Kauai is a leader on issues of women’s empowerment and the elimination of racism on the island of Kauai and across the state of Hawaii.