Culture, Language, and Access: Key Considerations for Serving Deaf Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence

This document offers a framework for understanding and addressing the unmet needs of Deaf survivors that is rooted in a cultural and linguistic perspective. As such, it includes information on the Deaf community and culture in the United States, provides foundational information on what is known about the incidence and prevalence of domestic and sexual violence against Deaf people, and explores the cultural and linguistic barriers that prevent Deaf survivors from accessing services and other supports that generally exist. It discusses several promising approaches to delivering culturally and linguistically competent services to Deaf survivors and the challenges faced by those delivering these services. Finally, it concludes with a set of recommendations for policymakers and practitioners in the victim services field aimed at creating equal access to services and the criminal justice system for Deaf survivors in every community.