The Farmworker Sexual Violence Technical Assistance Project is spearheaded by California Rural Legal Assistance in partnership with Esperanza: The Immigrant Women’s Legal Initiative of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Lideres Campesinas and the Victim Rights Law Center.
Together, we provide OVW grantees with:
One-on-one consultation on legal issues and strategies for lawyers and legal advocates on meeting the legal needs of farmworker sexual assault victims; three educational guides to assist legal service providers, criminal justice professionals and victim service providers in addressing the sexual assault of farmworkers; a farmworker safety plan in English and Spanish; a safety planning guide in English and Spanish designed for advocates to use with farmworkers; safety planning webinars; workshops for lawyers, judges and law enforcement agencies at national conferences; and regional trainings in farmworker communities in Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
Specific areas of expertise include but are not limited to: * civil legal remedies for sexual assault victims including housing, education, public benefits, employment, immigration and privacy; outreach strategies that are culturally and linguistically appropriate for farmworkers; cultural considerations when working with farmworkers; safety planning particular to farmworkers, including those living in labor camps; holistic representation of the comprehensive needs of farmworker victims of sexual violence; integration of the legal needs of farmworkers sexual violence victims into a coordinated community response; basic legal rights of farmworkers; and knowledge of the agricultural industry including its structure and practices.
