In 2004, The Advocates released a report concerning the government response to battered refugee and immigrant women in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. The report, entitled The Government Response to Domestic Violence Against Refugee and Immigrant Women in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metropolitan Area:  A Human Rights Report, is available for download below.

Full Report  
 
Executive Summary 

To order a copy of the report, click here.

Trainings and Presentations on the Report

Although domestic violence is a serious problem for women of all backgrounds, refugee and immigrant women are particularly vulnerable to certain forms of abuse and face unique problems in gaining protection from violence. The Advocates used the human rights methodology that it has used in other countries to investigate and document immigrant women's experiences in the Twin Cities in accessing legal, medical and other services and gaining protection from domestic abuse.

The purpose of the project has been to identify both the barriers that battered immigrant women may encounter in seeking such protection, as well as models or programs that have been particularly effective in addressing the specific needs and concerns of immigrant women.  We now provide presentations and trainings on the findings of the report to a wide variety of government agencies. 

Journey to Safety:  The Advocates collaborated with Pangea World Theater to create a dramatic presentation based on our 2004 battered immigrant women report.  This stage presentation highlights the challenges facing battered refugee and immigrant women when negotiating legal, medical and government systems.  In order to access services and protection, battered refugee and immigrant women must overcome obstacles such as language barriers, fear of deportation, and community pressures. 

A DVD of the performance and accompanying Facilitator’s Guide are now available.  For more information, see the Journey to Safety section of this website.