Deaf Women More Likely to be a Victim of Abuse

Deaf News - STUDY: Deaf individuals are more likely to experience domestic violence than hearing individuals in the United States.



CLEVELAND, OH -- Newsnet5: Deaf individuals are one and a half times more likely to be victims of relationship violence than hearing individuals, according to research out of the Rochester Institute of Technology.



"He would grab me, push me down, kept pushing me down, hitting me," said Dawn Marie Fucile, a Cleveland resident who is Deaf. She spoke through an interpreter.



Fucile recalls her three-year abusive relationship which she says happened in Parma two decades ago.



"He got a hold of me and threw me physically, coffee table," she said of her ex-boyfriend who is also Deaf. "I missed it by just an inch."



Fucile, who is 48 years old, said she finally mustered up the strength to call the police. Twice, officers came to her house. Twice, they left without arresting the man.



"Both of the officers that were there, I could understand them, but they were being like 'oh poor you. You can't communicate," she added.



Fucile said the lack of communication services and education among police at that time contributed to a lack of help.



"We know that there are more victims that are Deaf and Hard of Hearing that don't have access to information or services, and that's a big problem," said Linda Johanek, CEO of the Domestic Violence & Child Advocacy Center in Cleveland.



Johanek, with help from the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center and Cleveland Police, are trying to reverse the problem, which Johanek and Fucile said is only exacerbated by the fact that the Deaf community is tight-knit. For a member, it is difficult to break away, no matter the circumstance.



Through a federal grant, the domestic violence center, its shelter and all five police districts have iPads equipped with video remote interpreters. Officers can take the iPads with them on calls.



Fucile said the technology is a big step in the right direction.



"Do not be afraid to ask for help," she added. "I got help because I decided to move on."



Parma police said they now use a text messaging service to communicate with Deaf Individuals. For in-depth interviews, Parma and Cleveland police said they bring in live interpreters.



Fucile said her ex-boyfriend was eventually charged and convicted of domestic violence.



SOURCE



Related Posts: #Domestic Violence

METRAC Campaign Aims Toronto Deaf Women

VIDEO [CC] - Deaf News: The METRAC campaign and program is aimed at making justice more accessible to Deaf women in family breakup situations.

TORONTO -- MetroNews: A new campaign in Toronto aims to help Deaf women facing family breakdowns navigate the legal system.



Through its Family Law Education for Women program, METRAC has partnered with Springtide Resources and members of the Deaf community to create two videos being launched Thursday.



The videos were produced in American Sign Language, with closed captioning, and contain detailed information about child custody rights and information about support services for survivors of domestic assault.

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METRAC has for years provided sign language services for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing women through direct translation, but feedback from the Deaf community showed it “wasn’t very helpful,” said METRAC’s legal director Tamar Witelson.



“This is about increasing access to justice. There’s a lot of concerns when women are separating from their partners, and it’s even harder for Deaf women,” she said, noting that having a multimedia element in the resources will go a long way.



The challenges facing Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing women during family separation battles can stretch beyond just access to justice. If a family is breaking up due to intimate abuse in relationships, for example, the woman is less likely to even seek legal help because of stigma around such cases, Witelson said.



“We still have many women in this situation who don’t even understand what their legal rights are,” she said. “Many even end up going in court without a lawyer to represent them.”



According to Canadian Hearing Society, there are over 530,000 people in Ontario who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. That’s almost 5 per cent of the population.



SOURCE



Related Posts: #Domestic Violence

Interview With Angela Maria 'Off The Grid HAITI'

VIDEO [CC] - Exclusive interview with Angela Maria 'Off The Grid HAITI'.



The Daily Moth is a new ASL radio show, delivers news in video using American Sign Language. The Deaf host, Alex Abenchuchan, covers trending news stories and topics. Abenchuchan interview with Angela Maria Off The Grid about her work with the Leveque Deaf Community in Haiti and the grisly murders of three Deaf women in Haiti last April 2016.

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Related Stories - Angela Maria 'Off The Grid HAITI' Documentary and Protest Demands Justice For Slain Deaf Women.



International Deaf Emergency - Watch the documentary: http://bit.ly/2aosn8Y To get involved: http://ideafe.org -- http://takemeoffthegrid.org



Follow @TheDailyMoth

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Official Site - http://dailymoth.com



Related Posts: #The Daily Moth -- #Haiti

Deaf, Sex, and Communication - Rikki Poynter

VIDEO [CC] - Deaf, sex, and communication by Rikki Poynter.



A Deaf activist, vlogger Rikki Poynter would like to sharing and educating hearing people how to relationship with Deaf and Hard of Hearing people about sex issues, viewer discretion may be advised if sex makes you plug your fingers into your sex.

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Subscribe to Rikki's channel: http://youtube.com/rikkipoynter.



Follow Rikki Poynter on Social Networking:

YouTube - https://youtube.com/rikkipoynter

Twitter - http://twitter.com/rikkipoynter

Instagram - http://instagram.com/rikkipoynter

Tumblr - http://rikkipoynter.tumblr.com



Related Rikki Poynter:

Shit Hearing People Say About Deaf People

Rikki Poynter In British Deaf News Magazine

Being Deaf and Socializing

Being Blind Versus Being Deaf

Angela Maria 'Off The Grid HAITI' Documentary

VIDEO [CC] - A movement on and off the grid, founded by Angela Maria Nardolillo to provide sustainable resources and empowerment for groups within a larger culture.

PORT-AU-PRINCE -- A former Gallaudet University student brings relief to Deaf Haitian communities, Angela Maria Nardolillo is the interactive creative/art director & humanitarian, what it means to be Deaf in one part of the world, has a completely different meaning elsewhere and these stories do not just happen in Haiti, but after witnessing the abuse, violence and the struggles of those Deaf, Blind...etc with limited resources in various parts of the world, is how Angela Maria got there the city of Port-Au-Prince.



This documentary is based off of actual events from #offthegridHAITI missions in an effort to shine light on the realities, provide access to tangible solutions, and to pay tribute to the precious lives lost along the way.



Official 'Off The Grid HAITI' Trailer.

The 'Off The Grid HAITI' documentary premiere released on June 30th, 2016.



Official 'Off The Grid HAITI' Documentary (Episode 1)

Official 'Off The Grid HAITI' Documentary (Episode 2)

For more information: http://www.takemeoffthegrid.org.



Produced & Directed by the Founder of "Off The Grid HAITI" Angela Maria Nardolillo, http://angelagraphix.com.



One World Futbol QALO The Shoe That Grows Because International Deaf Emergency Association des Sourds de Lévèque, Haïti - ASLH Friends Of Montfort, Inc Whistles For Life Phoenix Deaf Women Organization One World Futbol Foundation. The A Team: http://takemeoffthegrid.org/a-team.



Music by Mounds of Earth: http://moundsofearth.com.



Follow Angela Maria Nardolillo on Social Networking:

Facebook - https://facebook.com/angelamariaotg

GooglePlus - https://plus.google.com/angelanardolillo

Linkedin - https://linkedin.com/in/angelanardolillo

Twitter - https://twitter.com/angelamariaotg

YouTube - https://youtube.com/angelagraphix

Blog Site - http://angelagraphix.com



Related - #Haiti & #Deaf Travel

The Sexual Abuse of Deaf Women in Philippines

The sexual abuse of Deaf women: a human rights scandal in the provinces of Philippines.

MANILA - According to the former Philippine Deaf Resource Center (PDRC), one out of every three Deaf women in the Philippines is sexually harassed or raped. Half of the cases happen in the victim’s own home, with neighbors and even family members being the most common perpetrators. Despite the general decrease in rape cases throughout the country, rape remains the most widespread crime against Deaf women.



Imagine living in a home that is also, strangely, a foreign country, where you can neither fully understand what is going on, let alone be understood. Now imagine your life was like that 24 hours a day every single day. This is the plight of women like Anica and Diane, two Deaf women in their 20s, who like many other Deaf women have been sexually abused.



Anica, born Deaf, is a petite woman with a bubbly disposition. But behind the sunny demeanor lies a deep scar. During her teenage years, she was sexually molested by an uncle. The case remains unreported because she is too afraid to file a report.



Living in the same compound as her uncle, she harbors a terrible fear not only of family retaliation but also of being misunderstood by the police, given a lack of trustworthy interpreters. She has little motivation to push through with her case.



Many abused Deaf women share Anica’s plight. Desperate, they feel there is nowhere to turn for help. Most are hesitant to confide in family members because of long-standing communication barriers.



Diane, both taciturn and mercurial, is another survivor. Linguistically isolated since early childhood, she can only communicate through gestures and drawings. Her chronicle is heart wrenching: she was trafficked from her rural hometown to a large city, where she was forced to work in the sex trade, from which after several harrowing experiences she finally escaped.



Then she went through what the system had to offer: Diane was shuffled from one government agency to another; lived in a shelter for women and children; was put into foster care for one and half years before her family was found and she was eventually returned home.



Tragically, these are not anomalies. Indeed, the numbers in this context are genuinely disturbing: according to the former Philippine Deaf Resource Center (PDRC), one out of every three Deaf women in the Philippines is sexually harassed or raped. Half of the cases happen in the victim’s own home, with neighbors and even family members being the most common perpetrators. Despite the general decrease in rape cases throughout the country, rape remains the most widespread crime against Deaf women.



To press charges against her traffickers, Diane would have needed an accredited interpreter to give her testimony (otherwise, the authorities might deem it hearsay), but she was not provided with one. Indeed, throughout her entire stay at the shelter, she had no access to any interpreters at all.



Diane also appears to be suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, but has never been diagnosed or treated because her deafness makes communication a constant challenge.



In a 2012 report by the PDRC, it was noted that a lack of awareness and sensitivity in dealing with disabled persons continuously bogs down our legal and judicial systems. For example, the inappropriateness of assigning male interpreters for female victims of rape and sexual violence may cause further trauma... Read more: philstar.com/sexual-abuse-deaf-women-human-rights-scandal

Tia Albert, Deaf Professional Makeup Artist

VIDEO [ASL/CC] - Official Deaf Women in Film Exclusive Interview of Tia Albert, Professional Makeup Artist.



Learn about Tia Albert, her experience in doing makeup and special effects and what she's learned from it. Great tips for hearing filmmakers and Deaf professionals involved. See for more details: http://youtu.be/b7GFqedkUl4

See Tia's work on:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2679761/

See Tia's Company:

http://www.skinbytia.com

Info on Walt Disney Concert Hall:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_Concert_Hall



This is a resource for Deaf Women in Film. Follow us!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/deafwomeninfilm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deafwomeninfilm

Official Website: http://dwif.blogspot.com

Deaf Dating Violence: Do You Know The Signs ?

VIDEO [ASL/CC] - Domestic Violence Awareness: Do you know the signs about dating violence?



This video is meant to be played without sound. This video used facts from: ASADV is a member of the Rochester/Monroe County Domestic Violence Consortium (DVC) and Justice for Deaf Victims Coalition (JDVNC).



Our mission is to provide support to the Deaf community and to Deaf, Deaf-Blind, and Hard of Hearing individuals, families, and children who are or have been victims/survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual abuse.

We offer a safe and supportive environment of advocacy, empowerment, community education, and training services.



All of our staff are Deaf. All of our staff, advocates, and volunteers are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). http://asadv.org



http://www.rit.edu/studentaffairs/womenandgender/get-help/cares-hotline#tab-2-report-an-incident. Please visit our website for more information and details, http://www.theredflagcampaign.org



Related Domestic Violence:



Stop Domestic Violence Against Women - If you or someone you know is in a DV situation and needs help, contact your local DV agency. There is nothing available nearby, contact Deaf Hope at hotline@deaf-hope.org from Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. More info at: http://Deaf-Hope.org



Stop Domestic Violence Promo from Lavender Revolution - A social media movement to end violence against women. Watch on a tube: http://youtu.be/2_UclJCbDa0

Deaf Mother's Plea: '$8,000 or Jail'

VIDEO [ASL] - A Deaf mother's plea: '$8,000 or jail', Donate to the legal fund for a domestic violence victim.



A domestic violence survivor. In a domestic violence marriage, Deaf mother endured all kinds of abuse for 5 years and went through a nasty divorce. She was forced to give up her job, house, dog and her friends to get away... Read more details at https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/6Q6M9.

Want to help? https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/6Q6M9 Please do spread the word!



Stop Domestic Violence Against Women - If you or someone you know is in a DV situation and needs help, contact your local DV agency. There is nothing available nearby, contact Deaf Hope at hotline@deaf-hope.org from Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. More info at: http://Deaf-Hope.org.



Stop Domestic Violence Promo from Lavender Revolution - A social media movement to end violence against women. Watch on a tube: http://youtu.be/2_UclJCbDa0