Voces Unidas

United Voices, United Community

A Community Health Worker program that provided outreach and support to survivors of sexual assault.

Voces Unidas (United Voices) uses Community Health Workers (CHWs) and peer support leaders to provide outreach and support for sexual assault survivors. While Community Health Workers are skilled professionals who provide valuable services, they are also peers by definition and possess a deep understanding of the local norms and beliefs. As such, they can build trusting relationships with community members that would not otherwise be possible.  When dealing with a topic as sensitive as sexual assault, trust and familiarity are essential to the success and impact of the program.

In the Voces Unidas program, our CHWs provide information and education, form community-based support groups, and refer women to a community-based individual or group counseling sessions where appropriate. The Voces Unidas Community Health Workers also promote community awareness and action. They work to lead sustainable change within their communities. The ultimate goal of the program is to expand the scope of services available to survivors of sexual assault, with an emphasis on reaching underserved community members.

Voces Unidas works in partnership with the Family Crisis Center and Mary and Martha House. They provide emergency shelters, individual and group counseling, and other services to program participants.

A woman posing

Voces Unidas works in partnership with Family Crisis Health Center

MHP Salud Promotoras conduct outreach and provide support in Willacy and Cameron Counties in Texas and Hillsborough County in Florida.

Voces Unidas began in December 2018 and is scheduled to conclude December 2020.

Disclaimer

This project was supported by awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.

For more information on this program, please contact us.