Persists The Domestic Violence Against the Latin Woman

In spite of the multiple efforts on the part of diverse sectors of the society, the domestic violence against the Latin women has not been able to eradicate, considered Ana Walnuts, psychologist and founder of the Association “Casa de la Familia”.

In her visit to San Antonio, the author of the book Latina Power, emphasized the need and importance that the denunciation on the part of the victims takes place, who in some cases have fear due to migratory his estatus. Although the battle area of “Casa de la Familia” is Los Angeles, California, in the locality there are centers of aid for the denunciation of this type of crime. For example, the Consulate of Mexico in San Antonio receives and guide the women who live in homes where domestic violence is present. The aid is totally confidential and it does not matter if the denouncers live on illegal way in the country.

“In the organization `Casa de la Familia' they work with the victims, either if it is domestic violence, sexual abuse, problems of mistreatment of children and infants, as well as with families where some member has been assassinated”, she said. This non profit organizaton has little more than 10 years operating. The problem of domestic violence, Dr. Ngales informed, prevails more in the Latin community; it is known that one of each three women suffers of this situation during some stage of their life. She emphisized that although we don't have final statistics, it is a fact that the Latin woman suffers much more that the woman in general from other ethnicities. “According to statistics, for example, from the University of Guadalajara, between 60 and 65 percent of the women they are victims of violence in the home”, said. The problem of violence of the home is something very serious, she reiterated, the Latin woman generally hides this types of problems and she keeps silent for years within the home. She does not seek for help because she thinks she has to deal with this situation. “One of the ways in which the violence works, is that the aggressor isolates the woman for she is an easier pray”, she added, “ women generally does not report an incident like this, nevertheless, there are many services of support for the women and their families”.

She asserted that people is never asked about their migratory estatus. “If the woman looks for help and is married to a man whom is either a resident or a citizen of the United States, they can give her a regular estatus so that she remains in the country, whithout her having to keep hiding”, Dr. Nogales expressed. On the other hand, she mentioned that the women receive little recognition in relation to the job they do at home and to the outside. No matter how hard we work outside of the home, she considered, we never leave, and it is our priority. “We see the rol of the woman within the home like our obligation, and we speak of the men only helping to the women in the home; it is time now that we talk about men having an active rol within the home”, she finalized.