Provide resistant agencies with an incentive to participate in collaborative endeavors. Working your way into a community requires persistence and patience. Conduct a needs assessment and involve community members at each step. Respondents working with Hispanic communities stressed the importance of service provider staff who are both bilingual and bicultural, establishing trust by forming relationships with victims, and recognizing the centrality of family in the Hispanic culture. You may need to change not only your approach but also your definition of success.
Effective intervention necessitates an awareness of and respect for values at odds with one s own.
Be persistent and patient. Hire passionately committed and competent staff. Recognize the importance of training and education both for other agencies and communitywide. Keep good records. Many communities and whole states still report gaps and barriers in effective services for women victims of violence.