Welcome to Noti Sana news!                                         
February 2004
IN THIS ISSUE
NEW RESOURCE FOR SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE

The U.S. Census Bureau report “Language Use and English-Speaking Ability: 2000,” asserts that nearly 1-in-5 people, or 47 million U.S. residents age 5 and older, spoke a language other than English at home in 2000.   Among those who spoke a language other than English at home were almost 11 million additional Spanish speakers. According to the report, Spanish speakers increased from 17.3 million in 1990 to 28.1 million in 2000, a 62 percent rise.

 

While the Spanish speaking Latino population continues to grow, many LEP or ELL* survivors fall through the cracks as victim service agencies attempt to balance budget reductions with increased demands. The resulting lack of accessible sexual assault victim services in Spanish has condemned countless families and individuals to ongoing trauma and re-victimization, and many bilingual victim service advocates to a constant state of over-extension.

 

Due to the many requests for service information from Latina survivors, Arte Sana decided to compile a list of sexual assault victim services available in Spanish across the nation.  The aim was to create a simple information access route for Latina/o victims of sexual assault who prefer or require services in Spanish.

 

The current Latina victim services listing includes information submitted by 23 states, and a total of 68 rape crisis centers and programs from across the nation that offer services in Spanish, as well as additional service information from Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. This new historic resource was made possible through the cooperation of advocates from across the nation and beyond, and is an example of victim rights activism for it was created without any private or governmental financial support.  A heartfelt thank you to all who supported this effort and a special thank you to Shannon Cervenka, RN, BSN SANE-A Forensic Nurse Examiner, Sexual Assault Coordinator with the Riverside County Regional Medical Center for the valuable medical service information and form samples. 

 

With such varied victim service information that was shared, we found the need to synthesize the standard victim services into categories.  For formatting purposes we ask that future agencies submitting service information utilize the existing categories, in addition to any other services not currently included.  We encourage all state sexual assault coalition staff who know of service listing omissions to forward the link and information to any center/program that should be included.  The service information and the number of Spanish-speaking bilingual staff should be sent to artesanando@yahoo.com.

 

This new resource (in spanish) may be found at:

http://www.arte-sana.com/recursos.htm

 
  CORAZON LASTIMADO: HEALING THE WOUNDED HEART
Arte Sana has received numerous inquiries into whether we will be sponsoring a Heart exhibit this year. Unfortunately, due to limitations in funding, we will be unable to hold an event such as the ones we have coordinated in the past. However, thanks to numerous collaborations and through the distribution of the Wounded Heart Technical Assistance Packet, the project has and will be replicated in various venues both in and outside of the U.S.

For those of you interested in replicating this exhibit locally and would like some guidance in planning your event, the technical assistance packet is available for $30 and may be purchased by contacting us via email. If you would like to order via PayPal, you may order online.

We encourage those planning their own local exhibit to share some of their images with us to include in our online exhibit which continues to receive much positive feedback from groups and individuals from both in and outside of the U.S.

We hope to be able to continue to sponsor the Heart Exhibit in the future and would like to thank everyone for their ongoing support. View the 2003 exhibit in our online gallery.

 
CASA AMIGA TURNS 5!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CASA AMIGA!!

Juarez, MX -- In February Casa Amiga will celebrate its fifth anniversary of the work of directly addressing and
engaging others to address violence against women and
children in Juárez, México and its surrounding areas.

Since its inception five years ago, Casa Amiga has reached over 54,286 persons through a variety of
direct victim services and risk reduction
presentations. During this period Casa Amiga has
offered risk reduction presentations to over 40,776 adults and children including an event on sexual violence at the Teatro Guinol that reached over 25,484 persons, and presentations to over 13,063 maquila workers, employees of mostly U.S. owned factories.

The direct services that Casa Amiga has been able to offer in five years include crisis intervention to 2073 persons, counseling and therapy to 9885 persons and legal assistance to 3,533 persons. In December of 2003, Casa Amiga reached yet one more goal by opening a shelter for women and their families. In addition to temporary housing for up to three months, the shelter will offer counseling and legal assistance, as
well as sewing and cosmetology classes.

Arte Sana invites all learn more and support Casa Amiga's efforts by visiting
www.casa-amiga.org  or www.casaamiga.org

 
LATIN@ TASK FORCE/ONLINE ADVISORY GROUP FORMED

Arte Sana is pleased to announce that Latina advocates have responded from across the nation to the preliminary invitation that went out to form part of the national online advisory group. The online advisory group will be action-driven in order to address the lack of culturally competent materials in Spanish to combat sexual violence against Latin@s, survivor/advocate communication issues, as well serve as an online forum for resource sharing, collaborations, and networking.

Also, the first Austin-based Latin@ Sexual Assault Task Force meeting will be held on Thursday, February 12, from 10 :30 – 12:00 at the Arte Sana office. Please contact us at artesanando@yahoo.com for more information.   

 
ARTE SANA.COM -- WEB NEWS
SEVERAL NEW FEATURES ADDED!

frame.gif (21269 bytes)As many of you may already know Arte Sana.com hopes to serve as an online resource promoting greater public awareness about gender and racial violence issues as well as a forum to promote healing through artistic expression. This site is being continually updated with bilingual information relating to art & cultural empowerment as well as gender activism and healing. Here are a few of the recent updates:

 
New Songs & Categories
We’ve made some changes in the ‘empowering songs’ section and have added 7 news songs and one new category, 'Social Injustice'. With the inclusion of four new articles and a song scoring sheet, we hope to offer those interested in using song links in risk reduction work, more material to work from.
Take our new opinion poll: Do you think an accusation of sexual abuse against a public figure affects the public's perception of their work or achievements? Also, learn the results of our first survey regarding a At what age do you feel it is most necessary to begin discussing sex-related issues with your children?.

The following articles and one new section have been added to the Arte Sana INFORMATION section: 

  • 20 Years of Pimp Glorification
  • From Urban Pimps to Backwoods Kidnappers
  • From Violent Lyrics to Violence Against Women and Girls?
  • Latinas: The Unheard Survivors 12/03
  • Special for Immigrant Women
  • Transforming the Culture of Advocacy for Social and Economic Justice 12/03
  • Incest : A feminist core issue that needs re-politizising

Legal Information for Survivors

  • Rape Shield Laws in the U.S. (summary chart) pdf
  • Rape Statutes in the U.S. (summary chart) pdf
  • Incest Laws in the U.S. (list of text of laws) 11/03 pdf
Arte Sana is proud to highlight the work of Latinitas, a nonprofit, bilingual webzine focused on informing, entertaining, and inspiring young Latinas to grow into healthy, confident, and successful Latina women.

Their mission is to: provide a forum where Latina youth have a voice; foster positive self-images and empower Latina girls to accept and appreciate themselves; encourage cultural awareness and pride; inspire young Latinas to be strong, smart, successful, and most importantly, themselves.
 
Check them out at www.latinitasmagazine.org/index.html
The Arte Sana CALENDAR has been updated for 2004.

All this and more at: http://www.arte-sana.com 

 
CURRENT/UPCOMING EVENTS
FEBRUARY 12, 2004 - FIRST MEETING OF LATINA TASK FORCE
Arte Sana is proud to sponsor the first meeting of the Latina Task Force at our office in Austin, TX.
For the larger list of events relating to racial and gender-based violence visit the calendar at:
http://www.arte-sana.com/calendar.htm
 
  HELP SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS!
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT TODAY!  You can now make your donation via:

 

You can click the link above or visit www.artesana.com/support_our_efforts.htm to make you donation today.

 
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Copyright 2004: All rights reserved.

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