Study to inform the launch of “NO MÁS” the first national awareness campaign to engage the Latin@* community in ending domestic violence and sexual assault
WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 21, 2015 – Today, leading non-profits and advocates for domestic violence and sexual assault prevention gathered on Capitol Hill to announce the findings of the largest and most comprehensive study to date of domestic violence and sexual assault in the U.S. Latin@ community, which will inform the launch of “NO MÁS,” the first national awareness campaign engaging Latin@s to end domestic violence and sexual assault.
“The NO MÁS Study: Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault in the U.S. Latin@ Community,” commissioned by the Avon Foundation for Women for Casa de Esperanza: National Latin@ Network and NO MORE and conducted by Lake Research Partners, uncovers what Latin@s perceive as the top barriers preventing survivors from seeking help and the steps Latin@ men and women are already taking to address these urgent issues.
At the briefing, sponsored by Rep. Raul R. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Juan Carlos Areán, Senior Director of Casa de Esperanza: National Latin@ Network for Healthy Families and Communities, presented the key findings of the new study.
“The Avon Foundation for Women is focused on leading efforts that improve the lives of women. We funded the first NO MORE survey to better understand why domestic violence and sexual assault remain so inherently hidden and marginalized in our society,” said Christine Jaworsky, Program Director, Avon Foundation for Women. “We are proud to fund this new NO MÁS survey to learn more about how this issue is impacting the U.S. Latin@ community, what similarities and differences exist, and to inform the development of new resources tailored to the specific needs of this population. Together we can and will reverse these staggering numbers.”
Among the key findings:
- More than half of the Latin@s (56%) in the U.S. know a victim of domestic violence, and one in four (28%) know a victim of sexual assault.
- 41% of Latin@s believe that fear of deportation is the number one barrier preventing Latin@ victims from seeking help, followed by fear of more violence for themselves and their families (39%) and fear of children being taken away (39%).
- Lack of respect for the opposite sex was seen as a stronger driver of domestic violence and sexual assault than traditional gender roles.
- Nearly two-thirds of Latin@s who knew a victim of domestic violence (61%) and sexual assault (60%) say that they intervened and did something for the victim.
“This ground-breaking study demonstrates that sexual assault and domestic violence are prevalent issues in the Latin@ community, which too often faces a number of barriers the general population does not experience,” said Juan Carlos Areán, Senior Director of the National Latin@ Network. “However, the NO MÁS study also reveals the community’s enormous strength and willingness to put an end to these problems. The study, thus, represents not only the issues we face, but also the fortitude we can leverage to eliminate violence.”
When compared to the 2013 NO MORE Study, the NO MÁS data reveals that Latin@s are more likely than the population at large to take action to intervene and help prevent domestic violence and sexual assault. The NO MORE study, conducted by GfK Public Affairs and Corporate Communications, looked at attitudes of teens and adults on domestic violence and sexual assault in the population at large and was commissioned by the Avon Foundation for Women.
Key findings – 2015 NO MÁS Study and 2013 NO MORE Study comparison:
- Latin@ parents are much more likely than parents in the U.S. population at large to talk to their children about domestic violence and sexual assault. More than half (54%) of Latin@ parents have talked to their children about these issues, compared to just 29% of parents in the population at large who say they have talked to their children about domestic violence and/or sexual assault.
- Over half (57%) of U.S. Latin@s report talking about domestic violence and sexual assault with their friends. In comparison, only 34% of the U.S. population at large say they have had a conversation about domestic violence and/or sexual assault with their friends.
- Latin@s are more likely than the population at large to say they intervened and did something for the victim.
Informed by the NO MÁS Study, Casa de Esperanza: National Latin@ Network, the nation’s leading Latin@ organization on domestic violence prevention, and NO MORE, are developing a new “NO MÁS” campaign, in partnership with Verizon, to engage the Latin@ community in prioritizing conversations about these issues and taking action to address them in their families and communities.
“Verizon has a longstanding commitment to domestic violence prevention and awareness through our HopeLine program, and it is critical that we continue to do our part in supporting those on the front line to put an end to this urgent problem,” said Victoria Boston, Area VP of Customer Service, Northeast Area for Verizon. “We are excited about partnering in the launch of NO MÁS and proudly stand with Casa de Esperanza and NO MORE on this incredibly important initiative.”
The NO MÁS public awareness campaign will be the first campaign of its kind, engaging and activating the Latin@ community to end domestic violence and sexual assault, and will include a wide variety of other educational resources. It is set to launch in the fall of 2015.
For more information on NO MÁS, visit www.nomore.org/nomas.
*Casa de Esperanza uses “@” in place of the masculine “o” when referring to people or things that are gender neutral or both masculine and feminine. This usage reflects the commitment to gender inclusion and recognizes the important contributions of both men and women.
2015 NO MÁS Study – Methodology
Lake Research Partners designed and administered a telephone survey that was conducted January 27th – February 10th, 2015. The survey reached a total of 800 Latin@s nationwide, ages 18 years and older, including oversamples of 100 recent immigrants (in the last five years) and 100 Latin@s ages 18 to 30 years old. The oversamples were weighed down into the base to reflect their proportion of the population. 30% of the interviews were conducted in Spanish. Telephone numbers for this nationally representative survey were drawn using randomized Latin@ surname sample and were screened as Latin@. Latin@ surname sampling is an accepted standard for interviewing Latin@s, and published academic research and Census reports indicate 90 to 95% of all Latin@s in the United States have a Spanish-surname. The data for the base sample was weighted slightly by gender, region, age, and education to reflect the attributes of the actual population. The data for the recent immigrant and under 30 oversamples were weighted slightly by gender. The margin of error for the total sample is +/-3.5%. The margin of error is higher for sub-groups depending on their size.
2013 NO MORE Study – Methodology
GfK Public Affairs and Corporate Communications Group conducted interviews with a total of 1,307 respondents, 15 years of age and older. The study was conducted using the KnowledgePanel, a large-scale online panel based on a representative random sample of the U.S. population. Equal numbers of men and women were interviewed in each quota group. The data was weighted to the population it represents. The margin of error for this study was +/-3.2 percentage points. Interviewing took place February 21 through February 27, 2013.
About Casa de Esperanza: National Latin@ Network
Casa de Esperanza has over 30 years of experience working to mobilize Latin@s and Latin@ communities to end domestic violence. In October 2011, Casa de Esperanza was awarded the Family Violence Prevention and Services Discretionary Grant from the Department of Health and Human Services, which designates the organization the National Latin@ Institute on Domestic Violence. As a national institute, Casa de Esperanza is a member of a nationwide network that works to support prevention and intervention efforts around family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence. The work falls under a division of Casa de Esperanza called the National Latin@ Network for Healthy Families and Communities, which addresses challenges facing Latin@s experiencing domestic violence. Dedicated to prevention and intervention efforts, the National Latin@ Network engages a multidimensional public policy initiative to advance the wellbeing of Latin@ families, leads rigorous research studies that promote effective practices, and conducts training as well as develops tools focused on expanding the field’s capacity to support Latin@s. Visit www.nationallatinonetwork.org for more information.
About NO MORE
NO MORE is a public awareness campaign designed to engage bystanders around ending domestic violence and sexual assault. Launched in March 2013 by a coalition of leading advocacy groups, service providers and major corporations, NO MORE is supported by hundreds of national and local groups and by thousands of people who are using its signature blue symbol to increase visibility for these hidden issues. Learn more about NO MORE or download our free tools at www.nomore.org. And for regular updates, follow NO MORE on Twitter (https://twitter.com/nomoreorg) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/NOMORE.org) and Instagram (https://instagram.com/nomoreorg).
About Avon Foundation for Women
The Avon Foundation for Women is the world’s largest corporate-affiliated philanthropy focused on issues that matter most to women. Since its inception in 1955, the Avon Foundation has promoted or aided charitable, scientific, educational, and humanitarian activities, with a special emphasis on activities that improve the lives of women and their families. Through 2014, Avon global philanthropy, led by the Avon Foundation, has contributed nearly $1 billion in over 50 countries. Today, Avon philanthropy focuses on funding breast cancer research and advancing access to quality care through the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, and efforts to reduce domestic and gender violence through its Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program. Visit www.avonfoundation.org for more information.
About Avon Speak Out Against Domestic Violence
The Avon Foundation for Women launched Speak Out Against Domestic Violence in 2004 to support domestic violence awareness, education, and prevention programs aimed at reducing domestic and gender violence, and to provide direct services for victims and their families. Through 2014, the Avon Foundation for Women has contributed nearly $40 million in the United States towards this goal. Globally, Avon supports efforts to end violence against women in nearly 50 countries by raising funds through special product sales and educating women around the world through its army of six million Avon Representatives. Visit www.avonfoundation.org for more information.
About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with more than 108 million retail connections nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers worldwide. A Dow 30 company with more than $127 billion in 2014 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of 177,300. For more information, visit www.verizon.com/news/.