Miss-Delectable
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1 In 2 Hearing-Impaired Women Abused - News- msnbc.com
It's a deadly issue that isn't in the news every day: domestic violence in the deaf community.
But now a special partnership is reaching out.
Joseph Ochoa, the education and outreach director of the League for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, was born deaf. Through an interpreter, he said domestic abuse in the deaf community is a serious issue that needs attention in Middle Tennessee.
"There are many people in the deaf community who desperately need help from the domestic violence center," Ochoa said. "This place here in Nashville is not alone; this happens everywhere."
Around 70,000 people across the state are deaf or hard of hearing -- a challenge that makes them even more vulnerable to abuse.
"It increases their chances of becoming victimized," said Capt. Rita Baker of the domestic violence division. "From what I understand, it could be as much as one in two women."
Half of the deaf and hard of hearing are prime targets for abuse. To offer a way out, the domestic violence unit is partnering with the League for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing to offer sign language interpreters at the local center.
"I don't want anybody to feel isolated by a language barrier," said Baker.
Baker said she recently realized that in all of her years with the domestic violence division, she never called in a sign language interpreter.
"That tells me not that we're lucky that there's no deaf people being abused, but quite the opposite: that these people are not getting our services, and that was a concern to me," said Baker.
But now some of the deaf and hard of hearing who go to the division for help can get the help they need from the domestic violence division, and people like Ochoa hope those who are isolated will now step forward.
"I feel very strongly about making sure that they feel 100 percent safe at home and not so lost and vulnerable," Ochoa said.
It's a deadly issue that isn't in the news every day: domestic violence in the deaf community.
But now a special partnership is reaching out.
Joseph Ochoa, the education and outreach director of the League for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, was born deaf. Through an interpreter, he said domestic abuse in the deaf community is a serious issue that needs attention in Middle Tennessee.
"There are many people in the deaf community who desperately need help from the domestic violence center," Ochoa said. "This place here in Nashville is not alone; this happens everywhere."
Around 70,000 people across the state are deaf or hard of hearing -- a challenge that makes them even more vulnerable to abuse.
"It increases their chances of becoming victimized," said Capt. Rita Baker of the domestic violence division. "From what I understand, it could be as much as one in two women."
Half of the deaf and hard of hearing are prime targets for abuse. To offer a way out, the domestic violence unit is partnering with the League for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing to offer sign language interpreters at the local center.
"I don't want anybody to feel isolated by a language barrier," said Baker.
Baker said she recently realized that in all of her years with the domestic violence division, she never called in a sign language interpreter.
"That tells me not that we're lucky that there's no deaf people being abused, but quite the opposite: that these people are not getting our services, and that was a concern to me," said Baker.
But now some of the deaf and hard of hearing who go to the division for help can get the help they need from the domestic violence division, and people like Ochoa hope those who are isolated will now step forward.
"I feel very strongly about making sure that they feel 100 percent safe at home and not so lost and vulnerable," Ochoa said.