Latin American Women’s Program

BWSS Latin American Women’s Program provides a holistic approach and cultural understanding of the unique issues and needs that immigrant and refugee women face.

We acknowledge the struggles of Latin American immigrant women who are fleeing violence from their native country, who may have been tortured, or undergone systemic violence and oppression, and have experienced the immigration process.

BWSS understands that immigrant and refugee women may not only have immediate needs but often carry previous trauma that requires support to integrate into their host country.

This program provides services for women survivors of violence/abuse whose maternal language is Spanish. Through this program women can access services support group in their own language.

Our approach is based in an anti-oppression feminist analysis which acknowledges the diverse needs of immigrant and refugee women.

Program Description

• Continuing support for Latin American women survivors of violence/abuse. Latin American Women’s Support Group is held every Wednesday from 2pm to 4pm.
• Individual counselling to Latin American women from a feminist trauma based perspective
• Provides emotional support to address survivors’ unique concerns and needs,
• Supports survivors throughout their participation in the justice process
• Promotes and supports survivors’ needs and rights in the justice system and in the community
• Provides information about the justice system, crime prevention and safety planning
• Supports women to examine the dynamics of an abusive relationship by raising awareness of the tactics of power and control and contributing factors of violence against women in relationships, and by fitting her individual experience into the larger context of violence against women and other forms of inequalities
• Provides information about and support with the child apprehension/child protection system

Read our Publication, When Women Get Arrested, translated into Spanish, El Arresto de Mujeres: Un problema en auge here.

BWSS Latin American Women’s Program is funded by Ministry of Housing and;Social Development, Ministry of Public Safety & Solicitor General-Crime Prevention Victim Service Division, and The City of Vancouver.