At the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), we have a commitment to language access. NSVRC is a project of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR), and we are obligated to provide meaningful language access in our services. In addition, we have a language access plan to work towards becoming more accessible. Our plan defines language access as “the rights of individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) to receive meaningful access to federally funded state and Federal programs.”
The plan also addresses language justice, which is “the right of survivors to communicate in the language that is most comfortable for them.” We see language justice as “a necessary part of changing systems and social norms, which will ultimately prevent root causes of sexual violence.”
We wanted to find out how people working to prevent sexual violence are working toward health equity by increasing language access and justice. So we collaborated with some leaders in the field to create this blog series. It lifts up lessons and examples of increasing language access and justice in preventing sexual violence.
We asked Vanessa C. Marcano-Kelly of Caracas Language Solutions, LLC; Ariel Valdes and Diana Mancera from Jane Doe, Inc.; and Yusra Ahmed of HEART Women and Girls to reflect on their journey toward language access and justice, health disparities, lessons they’ve learned, and tips for others in the field.
Their examples can help those working to prevent sexual violence in their communities more deeply understand how language access and justice is an essential framework for that work.
• Lessons on access and justice from Vanessa C. Marcano-Kelly
• Lessons on access and justice from Jane Doe, Inc
• Lessons on access and justice from HEART Women and Girls
Para leer este blog en español, haz clic aquí