It must be that machismo thing.

http://www.nydailynews.com/boroughs/sto ... 8446c.html

Abused immig women
to get help - & hope



A much-needed plan to fight the domestic abuse of immigrant women was announced last week by City Councilman Hiram Monserrate.
A despicable crime of epidemic proportions, domestic violence does not discriminate. It is a sad reality in every ethnic group, every religion, and every social and economic class.

The statistics are staggering. Nationwide, more than 2.5 million women suffer physical, sexual or emotional abuse every year.

In New York, according to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, domestic violence was responsible for 30% of all homicides among city women in 2002. Teens also are victims of violence: One girl in five under the age of 18 is in an abusive relationship. New York City's Domestic Violence Hotline receives an average of 400 calls per day.

But immigrant women, because of language barriers, ignorance about their rights, concerns about immigration status or sheer economic dependency on men, are at a greater risk of being abused.

Which is why Monserrate's initiative is welcome news.

"Today we begin the countdown to the end of domestic violence in our families and communities," he said on Tuesday.

The councilman, who has been mostly silent on the raging immigration debate, represents a large immigrant population. Recently he made public his intention to run for the State Assembly.

Monserrate (D-Queens) was one of the main backers in the Council of including in the 2006 budget $4 million for a citywide Domestic Violence and Empowerment Initiative.

On Tuesday, he said that he had secured $100,000 to create programs specially designed to combat domestic violence in Queens' growing immigrant communities.

The money will serve to create programs and partnerships with local cultural and immigrant rights groups.

During the announcement, Monserrate was flanked by representatives of two organizations working locally in Northwest Queens, the Urban Justice Domestic Violence Project and Latin Women in Action. Each of these groups will get $50,000.

The two organizations are respected in the community and have solid records of success in fighting domestic violence.

They are already working on establishing referral networks for abused immigrant women through libraries, schools and other institutions known to the immigrant women and perceived by them as nonthreatening.

Both organizations also are developing programs to provide support and direct education on how to prevent - and hopefully end - domestic violence.

The Urban Justice Domestic Violence Project and Latin Women in Action will be working with local cultural and immigrant rights groups in Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Lefrak City and Woodside.

These areas are home to hundreds of thousands of immigrants from all over the world, particularly Latin America, and East and South Asia.

"I am proud to stand united with our community leaders and service providers in a coordinated campaign to target our resources how and where women need them the most," Monserrate said.

He added: "By working with our local libraries, schools and cultural groups, we can ensure that all women have access to the support they need in a safe, trusted environment."

A welcome, much-needed initiative.

Originally published on July 23, 2006