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Recognizing that battered Latinas often turn to the church for comfort and help, the Fuerza Unida team recommended that working cooperatively with congregations be a part of the initiative's strategy.

At the same time, Latino church leaders were approaching Casa de Esperanza for consultation about how to address domestic violence in their congregations. We brainstormed with clergy from nine churches, discussing ways to move beyond offering the traditional assistance to battered women: basic domestic violence information and encouragement to call a crisis line or a shelter.

Valuing the community's responsibility to do the work, Casa de Esperanza now partners with Latino congregations to prepare them to take active leadership in supporting battered Latinas and their families. (We're grateful to The Commission on Women of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis for facilitating connections with Catholic parishes.)

Clergy in partnering congregations recruit volunteers from their members. Our role is to train the volunteers to understand domestic violence and support Latinas and their families to put an end to the abuse. After the training a response team is created in each congregation. Our staff "backs up" the teams and provides advocacy in difficult situations.

Movimiento Esperanza is changing church and community members' understanding of domestic violence, lessening their tolerance of it, and changing behavior. Pastors are addressing the issue of domestic violence with their entire congregations and educating them about its various forms. Abusers have begun to recognize their behavior as abusive and have approached pastors and team members for assistance. Team members are extending themselves to friends, family, and neighbors experiencing domestic violence.

Movimiento Esperanza puts the work of ending domestic violence in the hands of more and more people.

If you wish to contact us about:

Movimiento Esperanza. . . write us at ourwork@casadeesperanza.org

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