While significant progress has been made, in recent decades, in raising awareness about the devastating effects of domestic violence, and many lives have been protected and saved, domestic violence continues at epidemic proportions. It continues to tear families apart regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, or economic background, leaving in its path physically, emotionally, and spiritually injured women, men, and children.

According to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control in February 2008 (Adverse Health Conditions and Health Risk Behaviors Associated with Intimate Partner Violence, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) one in four women is abused by a current or former spouse, partner or boyfriend at some point in her life. Another study by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics (Intimate Partner Violence in the United States) says that on average more than three women a day, in the United States, are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends.

Domestic violence is just as serious and damaging a problem in Latino communities as it is in other ethnic and racial groups. However, Latinas/os face particular obstacles and challenges to addressing domestic violence and require culturally and linguistically specific services and resources in order to adequately address the problem.

The shortage of bilingual and bicultural personnel, in shelters, in police departments, in the courts, and throughout the continuum of services, prevents access and adequate services for Latina survivors and their families. This can pose a further threat to their safety and often results in alienating survivors from the very services they so desperately need.

Alianza's 2010 conference, "Healing Generations and Transforming Communities; Si se puede, yes we can", was held March 17-19th at the Newport Beachside Resort in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida. More than 170 people from diverse parts of the country attended the conference.

Dolores Huerta, a strong advocate and a leading voice in the Latino community, was our featured keynote speaker. Conference attendees joined Dolores in the familiar and widely popular chant: Si se puede, yes we can! Other keynote speakers included Debra-Romero-Seeley, Special Domestic Violence Commission, 2nd District Court, NM and Dr. Carmen Inoa Vazquez, Board Certified Clinical and Forensic Clinical Psychologist-Resources for Cross-Cultural & Immigrant Mental Health, NY. Presenters from around the country provided various strategies regarding topics such as Domestic Violence and Latinos, Teen Dating Violence, LGBTQ & Latinos, Sexual Assault & Stalking, Immigration, Coordinated Response, Working with Men & Boys and Culture & Healing.

In addition to the conference, Alianza organized A Domestic Violence Bridal March along the beach on the first day. The first Brides’ March Against Domestic Violence was organized in 2001, in New York City, to remember Gladys Ricart, a young Dominican Woman, who was murdered by her former abusive boyfriend on the day she was to marry someone else.

A special thank you to the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice, who made this conference possible (through Grant number 2009-TA-AX-K026). The opinions, findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed in this program are those of the organizers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.