Substance Use and Domestic Violence Among Latina Women
Literature Review
The marginalized groups in America, Latina, Hispanics, have been researched to undergo various problems, for example, intimate partner violence and engagement to substance abuse. Most of the incidences reported from studies indicate that IPV incidences result in sexual, physical, or psychological harm to victims. Most of the violent acts reported are from psychological abuse and sexual coercion (Sabina et al., 2015). This issue raises a lot of concern among many researchers and remains a prevalent international health problem. The literature underlying this area of study has recognized the growing violence to women and therefore becoming a field of study that requires evidence-based interventions to address the problem (Ulibarri et al., 2015). Many questions have been raised concerning these sub-populations in America regarding their ease of access to evidence-based IPV interventions and evaluate whether the inventions effectively solve IPV within these populations.
Most high-income countries like the U.S are currently facing it difficult to address the sub-populations or minority groups’ healthcare needs, for example, within the Latina people. The aspect of inadequate resources for implementing IPV interventions (Ulibarri et al., 2015). Evaluating the appropriate evidence-based interventions to address these challenges have indicated a possibility of IPV decrease among Latina women.
The Latinos’ population has established from studies to increase in the U.S, contributing to approximately 18% of the population. Still, it is also rapidly growing in other places like Canada and Europe (Sabina et al., 2015). For instance, the growing young population witnessed in the U.S is raising the alarm to intimate partner violence within the women of Latina culture. It is estimated from survey and studies that a third of Latina women in the U.S report a history of IPV. When these statistics are compared to people of the non-Latina population like whites and the blacks, the women of the Latina sub-population are found to have a likelihood of experiencing more severe impacts from IPV, for example, physical ailments, low esteem, and also depression (Ulibarri et al., 2015). Also, compared to the white population in the U.S, the Latinas are prone to adverse healthcare outcomes associated with risk behaviors, for example, substance abuse, sexually transmitted infections, among others.
Evidence-Based Interventions to Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence
Various interventions for addressing the issues affecting the Latina people, substance abuse, and domestic violence, have been established, for example, the Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). This intervention was an evidence-based therapy that imparts a certain skill known as mindfulness (Valdez et al., 2018). Several research studies have indicated that mindfulness, an attentional exercise, was initially developed by the Buddhist cultures (Sabina et al., 2015). It is significant since it helps people gain their mastery over the cravings of substances. For instance, the findings obtained from a study made to examine the substance use problem among patients using the DBT with certain traditional, cultural, and spiritual practices for the Latinas found that averagely 96% of the participants sampled from adolescents improved their conditions.
Another intervention that has proven beneficial in assisting the Latina population in controlling substance use and domestic violence is Alcohol Treatment Targeting Adolescent in Need (ATTAIN). The intervention found a significant reduction in marijuana and alcohol use among the racial and ethnic groups like the Latina people (Ulibarri et al., 2015). Some of the factors established to be key to pre-intervention levels of drug and alcohol use include discrimination and ethnic pride (Valdez et al., 2018). The study found that accounting for the above pre-intervention factors is important in meeting the program’s community needs it aims to serve.
In a comparison of the two interventions above, it can be established that there were positive outcomes from both the DBT and ATTAIN interventions used to address domestic violence and substance abuse among the Latina population in U.S (Valdez et al., 2018). In contrast, both interventions are impacted by barriers differently (Sabina et al., 2015). For instance, in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Latina patients become humiliated and ashamed of their disorder in administering the intervention.
Sample Description
In the video named “Meet your new clients: Hispanics and Latinos,” we are meeting the presenter, Dr. Luis Torres, an associate professor at the University of Houston GHCSW (Ulibarri et al., 2015). He is also known to be a research scientist in the Center for Drug and Social Policy Research. Dr. Torres has an administrative role and leadership in the scientific aspects of the field’s basic study. Being the project Director, he will be responsible for developing and implementing aspects of SMART Cougars, entailing implementing all activities in the program, for example, substance abuse prevention interventions following the structured legal and ethical guidelines.
The other presenter is Jose Juan, Jr, who is established to be the specialist in the Senior Victim Services Program for a project in Texas Advocacy (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC, 2016). He is experienced in engineering movements against gender violence in Texas since 1999. He has also facilitated successful workshops in both states, national and local conferences on systems advocacy, and crisis intervention for sexual and family violence victims. He also facilitates conferences for LGBTG victims suffering from interpersonal violence. He holds sociology and public Safety Master’s degrees specializing in Criminal Justice (Ulibarri et al., 2015). Mr. Lara is also serving the Texas Victim Service Association on the Board of Directors. He is also noted to a consultant for the Office Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC, 2016). He is specialized in several areas, such as crisis intervention, training coordination, Victim services program management, dynamics of sexual and family violence, and safety planning.
What Makes the Presenters Qualified to Address Domestic Violence and Substance Abuse Among the Latina Population
Jose Juan Lara, the presenter in the video on “Substance Use, Domestic Violence, and Latinas: Examining the Intersections,” both parts 1 & 2, can be considered to be qualified based on his experience. He has done internships with the outreach center, where he has worked as a volunteer social worker (Ulibarri et al., 2015). This has enabled engage extensively with the domestic violence movement. He facilitates a certain Texas Advocacy Project, which is a statewide non-profit law firm. The firm works directly with shelters, victims, courts, and law enforcement agencies across Texas to provide effective legal services to all Texans in need (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC, 2016). This makes Juan have adequate experience handling matters relating to any group victimized by domestic violence, for example, within the Latina population.
As evident in the video, Dr. Luis Torres can be experienced in dealing with substance abuse matters from his long history of dealing with cases and projects in this field. Torres has gone through several studies in the Center for Drug, and Social Policy Research, acquaints him with relevant skills and knowledge to handle cases related to substance abuse among the Latina population.
Results
In the video interview, Jose Juan Lara presents a detailed or comprehensive understanding of the problems that people’s Latino population is going through. The interview starts with Juan proficiently explaining about Casa de Esperanza operation ability, with clearly stating its mission (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC, 2016). It’s a movement that aims to mobilize the Latino communities to end domestic violence against them. The mission is served via five key values, namely, entrepreneurship, Latina leadership, living free of violence, organizational excellence, and finally, through community driven solutions (Ulibarri et al., 2015). Through Casa de Esperanza, the community is believed to end its problems by themselves, not any organization or system.
This means that the Latino community plays a vital role in domestic violence and can determine its end (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC. & Torres, 2013). In Juan’s presentation, language is a vital factor in understanding the issues related to domestic violence, for example, mental, anti-violence, and substance abuse language. Juan presents sexual assault and domestic violence among the Latina communities to be alarming. It is estimated that 20-25% of the Latinas encounter DV in their lifetime, with 1 out of 20 Latinas experiencing it within 12 months (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC, 2016). The most-reported to encounter DV is of Mexican origin than those born in the U.S. According to Juan Lara, a recent study involving 200 Latinas established that 63.1% of females are found to have been victimized in their lifetime.
Statistics on substance use and domestic violence indicate that nearly 25-50% of men indulging in DV have substance misuse related issues. Juan’s report also indicates no uniqueness in how gender differences affect Latinas’ substance use disorders. Substance abuse is higher among men than women. The factors contributing to the high prevalence of substance abuse and domestic violence are discrimination, interpersonal violence, socioeconomic pressures, the stress of living in a new country, among others (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC, 2016). The presenter also defines the necessary help that could be given to a Latina substance abuse victim and domestic violence victim. This is because the presenter serves as a trainer and a counselor in programs dealing with community individuals affected by drug and substance abuse and a domestic violence advocate.
Luis Torres is very much categorical in how he presents the issues affecting Hispanics and Latinos (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC. & Torres, 2013). The presenter outlines that about 60% of Latino youth reside under low-income families compared to just 26% of non-Hispanic White Youth. This low socioeconomic status contributes to the children of Latino culture failing to get the appropriate healthcare services they require. The Hispanics are noted from the interview to be the least among the minority groups in the U.S to get access to primary care and more so mental health services. Luis considers the sub-population living in the U.S to have heterogeneous characteristics ranging from their languages, cultures, faiths, among others (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC, 2016). The presenter uses a vignette showing Frieda’s case to explain the problems that the Latinas are going through. The case study presented outlines the risk factors that any person of the Latina population is exposed to. The risk factors for their increased mental conditions have been established from the video to be diverse cultural values, attitudes, beliefs and traditions, acculturation, misdiagnosis, legal status, poverty, stigma, and discrimination.
Themes in The Videos
Various themes can be identified in the presentations made by both Juan Lara and Luis Torres (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC, 2016). For instance, through the videos, violence, culture, and family, discrimination, economic stress, among others, can be identified as themes within the context of Latinas’ struggle to live with substance abuse and domestic violence.
Violence
As explained by Juan Lara, domestic violence is among the critical challenges faced by the Latina population in the U.S. Most of the violent incidences reported are established to intimate partner violence (IPV) among those in love attachments (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC. & Torres, 2013). Statistics presented in the videos show that the most affected by domestic violence is Latina women but willing to come out and support the end of these practices in their communities. Women have been established to challenge the level of danger they are exposed to by their perpetrators.
Culture and Family
The two presenters’ arguments and ideas show that culture and family are major or key factors to the underlying issues affecting most of the Latinas (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC. & Torres, 2013). They have strong cultures that place more affiliation with the family and fail to disclose the issues affecting them, for example, domestic violence (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC, 2016). Juan claims that the Hispanics and the Latinos have strong beliefs and values that may prevent the women from understanding the importance of opening up for help to control domestic violence originating from factors like substance abuse.
Discrimination
Racial and ethnic forms of discrimination are all that the Latinas are experiencing and majorly contributing to their problems today. They are established that discrimination among them in avenues of work, healthcare services, among others, is high when compared to the whites and the blacks in America (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC, 2016). Low incomes, together with the accompanying stress of living in foreign countries, lead to them engaging in substance abuse and eventually finding themselves in domestic violence activities.
Discussion
The facts or findings from the three presentations can be put together to analyze the issue of substance abuse and domestic violence affecting the Latina population (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC. & Torres, 2013). The presentations have ascertained that the Latinas population, which is among the minority groups in the U.S, is at high risk of substance abuse and domestic violence and their impacts or effects. It is found from the video presentations that about 20 to 25% of the Latinas experience domestic violence in their life, with 63.1% of women established to encounter victimization resulting from substance abuse (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC, 2016). It is found that most of the violence incidences reported resulting from substance abuse, which may be due to depression, low-socioeconomic status because of lack of jobs, the stress of living in a foreign country, discrimination, which is racially and ethnically based. Most of the women’s violence is noted to occur within a family setting, meaning intimate partner violence is seriously affecting the Latina people.
The previous recommended evidence-based interventions (EVBIs) in the literature review will be of great help to save the Latinas from the challenges that they are currently suffering, for example, substance abuse and domestic violence (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC. & Torres, 2013). Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) can help victims who have already been noted to be addicted to drugs and help them change their behaviors. It is an intervention that employs attentional practices to instill a mindfulness skill in the victims (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC, 2016). Most of the Latina population and more so the youth who are established from the videos to the victim of these challenges need to be taken through this intervention.
In comparison, the working mechanism of the evidence-based interventions like the use of dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is the same as the recommendations given by Juan Lara as when a Latina victim visits a counselor for help. The DBT advocates that substance abuse patients can change behavior through attentional practices and regain their mastery over the carving of substances like drugs. In the videos, Juan Lara argues that Latina substance abuse victims need to be guided to identify their place in their problems, accept their powerlessness, change their behaviors and eventually be of service to others (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC, 2016). These are the strategies discussed in the video by the presenters to assist the Latina substance abuse victims in regaining their initial positions and life in society and marrying the DBT interventions’ elements.
In the literature review, most domestic violence incidences researched to occur among the Latinas originate from intimate partner violence (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC. & Torres, 2013). This can be compared to what Juan Lara and Luis discuss in the videos on the abusive partner’s substance use. It is claimed that for men who engage in a battery, there is no direct relationship between drug and alcohol use and alcohol use. Consequently, according to the presenters’ research, most men who battery, drug, and alcohol use have a likelihood of increasing the risk that they will misinterpret the behavior of their partners (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC. & Torres, 2013). With evidence of misinterpretation of one another in partners’ relationships, violent cases are likely to occur.
The outcomes were realized in the literature review concerning Latina’s domestic violence and substance (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC, 2016). In the literature review, women are more prevalent in victimization from these issues, which is still in line with the presenter’s data on the same, which indicates that about 63.1% of women in their lifetime face victimization.
To the field placement agency that has partnered to provide social work experience to academic students, I would recommend that the Latinas’ underlying factors should be well understood before commencing to serve their needs in the community. Some of the risk factors contributing to the Latinas to be highly prevalent in substance abuse and domestic violence include discrimination, stodgy cultural beliefs and values, and low-socioeconomic status (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC, 2016). If these issues above are well addressed, implementing the above evidence-based interventions to serve the Latinas will be easy and effective (National Hispanic and Latino ATTC. & Torres, 2013). The videos have been helpful as they have provided enough demographic data on how domestic violence and substance abuse impact the Latinas population, which will help plan for the best interventions to help the community.
References
Sabina, C., Cuevas, C. A., & Zadnik, E. (2015). Intimate partner violence among Latino women: Rates and cultural correlates. Journal of Family Violence, 30(1), 35-47.
Ulibarri, M. D., Ulloa, E. C., & Salazar, M. (2015). Associations between mental health, substance use, and sexual abuse experiences among Latinas. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 24(1), 35-54.
Valdez, L. A., Flores, M., Ruiz, J., Oren, E., Carvajal, S., & Garcia, D. O. (2018). Gender and cultural adaptations for diversity: A systematic review of Latino males’ alcohol and substance abuse interventions. Substance use & misuse, 53(10), 1608-1623.
National Hispanic and Latino ATTC. (, 2016). Part II Substance Use, Domestic Violence and Latinas Examining the Intersections. YouTube. Retrieved 11 November 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udlFz7z55S8&list=PL9voKT4E3EpakoN0vXYPmttZddCsyhRme&index=16.
National Hispanic and Latino ATTC. & Torres, L. (2013). Webinar: Meet your new clients: Hispanics and Latinos. YouTube. Retrieved 11 November 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms0az5A5nPA&list=PL9voKT4E3EpakoN0vXYPmttZddCsyhRme&index=2.
Appendix
Interview Chart
| Category | Question | Response |
| Age | -What is your age as per your national identification card | |
| Degree type | –Could you please tell us your degree type and area of specialization?
-How is it related and effective in handling Latinas domestic violence and substance abuse issues
|
|
| Length of time in current position | –For how long you have been serving in your current position?
–Do you believe that the experience gained can help you effectively address the Latina population’s issues? |
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| Licensure status | –Has your license status in this field of social work been verified? | |
| Race | –Do you advocate racial diversity?
-what are some strategies you can use to address racial diversity challenges? |