Maritza Reyes, the director of the Sexual Assault Program at Mujeres Latinas en Acción, explains that many Latinas face additional barriers to reporting sexual assault and seeking support, including discriminatory treatment from institutions, lack of staff that both speak Spanish and are trained in the area of sexual violence, and a lengthy legal process leading to low prosecution of perpetrators.
In the United States, specific legal protections exist to help undocumented survivors escape abuse without fearing deportation: latina abuse maritza exclusive
[ Community-Led Intervention Model ] │ ┌───────────────┴───────────────┐ ▼ ▼ [ Culturally Specific Advocates ] [ "Promotoras" Network ] • Understands Marianismo • Peer-to-peer outreach • Minimizes linguistic gaps • Bridges isolated homes • Navigates extended family • Builds institutional trust The Role of Promotoras (Community Health Workers) Maritza Reyes, the director of the Sexual Assault