NCJ Number
197157
Journal
Domestic Violence Report Volume: 7 Issue: 6 Dated: August/September 2002 Pages: 81,91,93
Date Published
August 2002
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the presence of minorities in North Carolina domestic violence shelters as both victims and as shelter staff.
Abstract
Focusing on the presence of minorities in North Carolina domestic violence shelters as both victims and as shelter staff, this article presents the results of a joint research study between the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCCADV) and the North Carolina Criminal Justice Analysis Center (NCCJAC). Seeking to ascertain the nature and extent of minorities in domestic violence shelters as victims, children of victims, and service providers and hoping to identify any special needs held by minority victims and staff, the NCCADV and NCCJAC conducted a 5-page, 33-item survey of domestic service provides on the NCCADV mailing list. Results of the survey indicate that in July 2001, women were overwhelmingly the gender served by domestic violence shelters with female shelter attendees being 55 percent Caucasian, 24 percent African-American, 2 percent American Indian, 8 percent Hispanic, 2 percent Asian, and 9 percent other. Domestic violence shelter personnel were classified as over 70 percent Caucasian and 26 percent African-American with all other racial groups representing 2 percent or less of the total. Focusing on special needs of minority clients and children’s issues, results of the survey lead the NCCADV to recommend that minorities should be actively recruited for domestic shelter positions, that domestic violence shelters need to assess why women often do not bring their children to the shelters with them, and that there is a need for cultural sensitivity training.