Description

SESSION 3:

Enhancing Access for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence – A Conversation

This session will be a facilitated discussion focusing on addressing the issues faced by deaf survivors of domestic and sexual violence, focusing on the barriers that prevent them from seeking services and accessing support. By adopting a culturally responsive and trauma-informed approach, this session will explore the concept of audism, delve into why deaf survivors often do not seek assistance, present relevant statistics, and provide practical strategies for organizations to enhance access and support for this marginalized community.

• Participants will increase awareness and understanding about audism, a form of discrimination against deaf individuals, and its impact on the experiences of deaf survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
• Participants will examine why deaf survivors often hesitate to seek services, such as communication challenges, lack of accessible resources, and cultural factors.  
• Participants will learn practical recommendations and best practices for enhancing access to support services for deaf survivors.

Panel Moderator:

Jose Juan Lara Jr., MS, Systems and Advocacy Senior Program Manager, Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence

Panelists:

Sabrina Roult, Deaf Overcoming Violence through Empowerment (DOVE) (she/they) has 13 years of experience working in the Social Services field as a case manager, advocate, and forensic social worker for the Deaf, Deaf Blind, Deaf Disabled, and Hard of Hearing (DDBDDHH) community. One of the most valuable things she has carried with her is being mindful of variations in perspectives. As an advocate, respecting various perspectives allows Sabrina to wholeheartedly provide support that considers other service providers’ perspectives and the perspectives of DDBDDHH individuals. After graduating with a master’s degree in social work from the University of Denver and obtaining her Animal-Assisted Therapy Certification, she feels blessed to be a part of an organization with an amazing mission and vision. She is very fortunate to work with a great team. On the days Sabrina is not working, you can find her on the open road. She loves taking road trips and exploring untouched parts of the country. Otherwise, Sabrina is often gardening, crafting, or hiking with her furry friends.

Liam Esposito, Project Director of Deaf-Led Advocacy at Activating Change, is a white, deaf, autistic trans man who oversees grants for Deaf Action Training and Technical Assistance and National Deaf Survivor Services. He is also an adjunct Senior Lecturer at Gallaudet University. Before working at Activating Change, he held similar roles at the Vera Institute of Justice and Rochester Institute of Technology and served as the Executive Director of Deaf IGNITE – a deaf anti-violence program in Rochester, NY.

This training was supported by Grant No. 2020-WF-AX-0043, 15JOVW-21-GG-00555-STOP, and 15JOVW-22-GG-00412-STOP awarded by the state administering office for the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice's STOP Formula Grant Program. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this training are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the state or the U.S. Department of Justice.