Confronting Bias & Ensuring Justice for Survivors from Latine Communities of SV, DV, Stalking, & HT

Recorded September 28th, 2023
Co-Hosted by: AEquitas and Esperanza United
Panelists:
-Denise Cortes, Executive Director, Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender Based Violence, New York City Family Justice Center, Bronx
-Justin McNabey, Executive Assistant District Attorney and Chief of Special Victims Unit, Manhattan District Attorney's Office
-Lillian Salcines Bright, Former First Assistant, New Hanover County District Attorney's Office (Retired)
-Paula Gomez Stordy, Senior Director of Training and Technical Assistance, Esperanza United
Facilitators:
-Jennifer Long, CEO, AEquitas
-Vivian Huelgo, Chief Programs Officer, Esperanza United
This web-based panel explores the ways in which bias against victims from Latine communities affects the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and human trafficking. Panelists address the following topics:
-Effects of inequalities and challenges that Latine communites uniquely face as victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and human trafficking;
-Barriers to reporting crimes, such as bias and stereotypes held by law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and jurors that can translate into disparate outcomes for victims through unfair credibility determinations;
-Impact of bias on endangering accurate assessments of the probability of conviction in cases, and collateral consequences on a victim’s ability to seek restoration;
-Necessary commitments offices must make to eradicate implicit bias among its staff and enhance recruitment, mentorship, and support opportunities for individuals who are Latine; and
-Strategies for prosecutors’ offices to enhance justice for victims by engaging in cultural humility, promoting criminal record relief, improving training, and ensuring accountability reinforced by data.
This project was supported by Grant No. 15JOVW-22-GK-03987-MUMU 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.