Send2Press Newswire » MOUNT LAUREL, N.J.

Center Releases Report on New Jersey Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Programs

Beyond Diversity Resource Center — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 09:59:50 +0000

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — During the past two years, twenty-six New Jersey agencies that address domestic violence and sexual assault have participated in the Cultural Competency Technical Assistance Project. The Beyond Diversity Resource Center issued a report today which shows that the participating agencies have made substantial Progress in their efforts to provide culturally competent services to their clients.

“The need for domestic violence and sexual assault programs to provide more culturally competent services has been recognized as a national concern. This work is especially important in New Jersey, one of the most diverse states in the nation,” said Pamela Chambers, the Training Director of the Beyond Diversity Resource Center and manager of the project. “New Jersey is one of only a handful of states that have taken on cultural competency statewide. That means better services for victims of domestic and sexual violence and their families.”

The report describes the efforts agencies have made to enhance the cultural competency of their services and sets forth five important improvements: (1) agencies are better able to address women’s experiences of domestic violence and sexual assault in the context of the cultural factors that shape their lives, (2) agencies are better able to create programs that meet the needs of more diverse populations, (3) clients receive less secondary victimization (like feeling out of place or misunderstood) when they seek services, (4) clients experience fewer cultural barriers to services, and (5) agency staff and volunteers are less likely to make invalid assumptions and generalizations based on an aspect of a client’s cultural background.

The programs that have participated in the Cultural Competency Technical Assistance Project are those that have received STOP Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) funding in New Jersey. A list of the participating programs is available in the report.

For the full report, visit the Center’s Web site: http://www.beyonddiversity.org and click on the “Articles” link.

Beyond Diversity Holds Press Conference on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Programs

Beyond Diversity Resource Center — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 08:58:35 +0000

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The need for domestic violence and sexual assault programs to provide more culturally competent services has been recognized as a national concern. During the past two years, more than 25 New Jersey organizations that address domestic violence and sexual assault have participated in the Cultural Competency Technical Assistance Project to improve services to clients from marginalized and underserved populations. The project is implemented by the Beyond Diversity Resource Center, and is administered through the STOP Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Program in the Office of the Attorney General, New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety.

On July 15, 2010, the Beyond Diversity Resource Center will hold a press conference and release a report on the progress that participating New Jersey organizations have made in providing culturally competent services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Speakers at the press conference will include, Paula Dow, Attorney General of New Jersey; Sandy Clark, Acting Executive Director of the New Jersey Coalition for Battered Women; Jane Shivas, Associate Executive Director of Jersey Battered Women’s Service, and Pamela Smith Chambers, Training Director of the Beyond Diversity Resource Center. Representatives from domestic violence and sexual assault programs from across New Jersey will also attend and be available for interview.

Who: Pamela Smith Chambers, Training Director of the Beyond Diversity Resource Center; Sandy Clark, Acting Executive Director of the New Jersey Coalition for Battered Women; Jane Shivas, Associate Executive Director of Jersey Battered Women’s Service; Robin Parker, Executive Director of the Beyond Diversity Resource Center

Special
Guest
Speaker: Paula Dow, Attorney General of New Jersey

When: Thursday, July 15, 2010; 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Where: Offices of the New Jersey Coalition for Battered Women; 1670 Whitehorse Hamilton Square Road, Hamilton, New Jersey 08690

Contact: Robin Parker, Executive Director, Beyond Diversity Resource Center; 856 235-2664; rparker@beyonddiversity.org