The last thing a domestic violence survivor should worry about is accessing the services they need. So how can you eliminate language barriers for survivors who are limited-English proficient (LEP) and offer them support?
Challenges faced by survivors with LEP
Even with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and Section 1557, LEP individuals may still encounter challenges when accessing services. Forms and instructions are often provided only in English, and many institutions that offer support don’t provide easy access to interpreters. These barriers are prevalent among domestic violence survivors, which can block them from receiving assistance when they need it most.
If your staff lets LEP individuals rely on friends or family members to interpret, they may unknowingly enable the abuser to communicate on the survivor’s behalf. Or survivors may not feel comfortable sharing the details of their abuse through someone close to them, making it challenging to determine the best way to help them. Beyond the language barrier, other factors such as fear, embarrassment, and cultural norms may prevent LEP survivors from requesting or receiving the help they need.
How language services can help survivors
Ensuring meaningful access to services is critical to protecting the life and safety of survivors and their families. If you don’t have bilingual staff members or offer a language that your client or patient speaks, you’ll need to provide language services.
CyraCom provides high-quality interpretation and translation services to help you connect with the people who need your services most.
Interpretation
An interpreter acts as a neutral third-party that facilitates conversations between a survivor and your staff. CyraCom’s over-the-phone and video interpreters:
- begin interpretation sessions by reminding all call participants that everything said is confidential, which can help put your client/patient at ease
- are trained to mirror the pacing and tone of the conversation, so you don’t have to worry about a lack of empathy when working with someone in a delicate state of mind
- do not act as advocates or provide advice to the survivor
Translation
Translating forms and informational documents can help you build trust with your client or patient. CyraCom’s translation team offers:
- localization services that help your content sound as though it were written in the target language
- cultural awareness and literacy level adherence to help ensure your message is easily understood by all readers
- a secure, user-friendly translation portal that makes it easy to request a free quote
Ready for a free consultation? We can help.
Contact our team at getstarted@cyracom.com today to ask questions or request a free translation quote.
