YWCA Launches Anti-Violence Guidebook for Spanish-Speaking Women
Empezar de Nuevo, an anti-violence guidebook for Spanish-speaking women, is available only in Spanish, and in flipbook and pdf versions for download on the YWCA website.
The workbook is directed towards women dealing with fear and oppression - emotional, spiritual, physical, sexual, cultural, economic, racial or political - and outlines the protective legislation and cultural norms in Canada that make these conditions unlawful and unacceptable.
A list of questions is provided to assist women in assessing their situation.
The book looks in detail at the range of areas in which abuse can occur, including relationships involving lesbian and transgendered women, seniors and women with disabilities.
The 4-Stage Cycle of Abuse is outlined, along with descriptions of the confused emotions that can occur when abuse is intermittent, sporadic and/or difficult to predict, with periods of remorse and/or considerate behavior.
There is discussion of the primary questions women in abusive situations tend to ask, such as:
- Why does my partner behave abusively towards me?
- Is it my fault that I am being abused?
- Does it have to involve physical abuse to be an abusive situation?
The guide offers information on the following:
- Implications of domestic violence for children and how to begin to talk about your situation and find support
- Preparing a security plan for yourself and your children
- How to engage with the police, emergency and social services
- Police and legal processes, consulting and engaging a lawyer, and dealing with legal separation and custody issues
- Post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal impulses
- Managing life on your own or as a single parent (accessing social services, safe housing, managing the costs of running a household and moving towards employment)
The Appendix provides an extensive, province-by-province list of resources, assistance and contacts for women in abusive situations.