(Posted 1-29-01)
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News Service Contact: Laurie Gengenbach, 336-334-5371

UNCG HEALTH ACCESS PROJECT EDUCATING
IMMIGRANTS ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

GREENSBORO — Hispanic immigrants learn many new lessons when they come to the United States, and one of the most important is that domestic violence is a crime.

Social workers from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro are now preparing programs to teach Latino immigrants about the crime, and to let women know that dialing 911 will get them police protection.

Many new immigrants from Latin America are unfamiliar with such ideas, says Maria Robayo, coordinator of the Immigrant Health ACCESS project -- a service for Guilford County immigrants developed by the UNCG Department of Social Work.

"This is not a crime where they come from. This is an accepted part of their culture," she says. "Consequently, men and women alike need to understand the rules and laws are different here."

Robayo, with assistance from Piedmont Family Service, is developing programs to spread the word, and has scheduled a Feb. 3 training for approximately 20 leaders from the Latino communities across Guilford County.

Domestic violence tends to be an accepted behavior in Latino communities, says Robayo, a native of Colombia. Women often won't seek help for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they lack documentation and fear deportation. Others are accustomed to a system in which police only provide assistance if they are first bribed.

Men and women immigrants need to understand that both notions are unfounded says Robayo. Police and detectives never inquire about documentation, she says. Moreover, they arrive on the scene to protect -- not collect.

"It is important for women to know that if they are in a dangerous situation, they can dial 911 and ask for help, no questions asked," Robayo said.

Education for men and women both is especially important in light of Greensboro's new proactive stance against domestic violence. Officers make arrests based on physical evidence at the scene -- not on whether or not the victim wants to press charges. Sometimes men find themselves hauled off to jail and don't understand why, Robayo said.

In addition to domestic violence education, the “Immigrant Health ACCESS Project" also educates immigrants about immunizations and pre- and post-natal care. It recently held a rubeola vaccination clinic at an area church for Latino immigrants on Dec. 2, and plans to schedule more.

The project is funded through a $687,000 grant from the Moses Cone-Wesley Long Community Health Foundation.
The health program is just one of many services offered to immigrants under the umbrella of ACCESS, which stands for Accessing Cross Cultural Education Services Systems. Developed by the Department of Social Work at UNCG in partnership with AmeriCorps, ACCESS has been helping immigrants adapt to life in Guilford County since 1996.  It is housed in downtown Greensboro at 413 S. Edgeworth St.

In addition to health education, it provides interpretation, information, referral, community development and cross-cultural appreciation. ACCESS now provides training and support for 50 AmeriCorps members performing community service across the Piedmont.
For more information about ACCESS and its services, call (336) 334-5411. ###
 

Formerly housed at  914 Spring Garden St., ACCESS will soon be relocating to 413 S. Edgeworth St. in September, and can be reached by phone at (336) 334-5411, or e-mail at ACCESS@uncg.edu.

Educated in Colombia, Robayo holds a bachelor of science degree in medical technology and a master's in health administration.She comes to Greensboro from Burlington, where she served in AmeriCorps for one year as a coordinator of a woman's support group.

Back to the Latest News Releases
Return to the University News Service Home Page