Empowering Families - What Battered Latinas Face

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What Battered Latinas Face

Fear and a lack of control pervade her life.

She may be afraid to seek help because of cultural or religious constraints; or she may feel guilt and believe that the abuse is her fault. She worries about what her children know (or what they may witness) and fears that they will be harmed. The abuser may isolate her by controlling money and her contact with people. If her English is limited, she may not be aware of resources or alternatives. She is in crisis and may feel that her life is in danger.

If she decides to confide in anyone, a Latina often talks with a family member, a friend, or someone at her church.

Taking action or leaving the abuser is frightening. A woman often is afraid that she and her children will suffer greater harm if they try to leave (a justifiable fear: 65% of battered women who are killed, are murdered by their abusers when--or after--they leave). Leaving successfully means greater isolation from her only possible supports: friends, family, and community. She worries that she will lose custody of the children. And there are many other fears: economic dependence; lack of job skills; fear of involvement in the court process or of immigration problems; and lack of alternative housing.

The abuse may not be the most urgent issue in a Latina's life! Some of her worries, such as immigration fears and concerns for her children, are often more important to her than the violence she suffers. She may miss her home country and her extended family there; she may be experiencing the anxieties and stresses that come with living in a new culture; and-if she is more comfortable speaking Spanish than English-her isolation may be overwhelming.