Empowering a Farmworking Community: S.T.O.P. In Action in California
This Week, A STOP-Funded California Organization Empowers Survivors to Stand Up for Their Right to a Violence-Free Life
Farmworker communities have proven to be a difficult population to reach and have remained traditionally unserved/underserved by service agencies. Due to social, economic, political, language, and cultural barriers, farmworker women are particularly vulnerable to sexual assault and domestic violence. Organización en California de Líderes Campesinas, Inc. (Líderes Campesinas), a community-based organization that provides outreach, education, and linkages to services for the farmworker women community throughout California, has been VAWA-funded since 1996. The program is currently comprised of twelve rural community chapters in Central and Southern California. Líderes is in the process of developing three new chapters in Northern California with VAWA Recovery Act funding.
The program’s purpose is to develop and implement activities aimed at addressing and impacting the issues of sexual assault and domestic violence among monolingual and bilingual Spanish-speaking and indigenous farmworker (Mixteco) women. Líderes Campesinas conducts trainings addressing Sexual Assault/Harassment in the Workplace, Domestic Violence, and Prevention to members in seven chapter areas. Program staff also participated in various community and regional events to provide education, outreach, and peer-to-peer counseling for farmworker women survivors of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and domestic violence.
Maria* lives in Coachella Valley. She is of Mexican descent and came to the U.S. in the 1990s without legal documents to work in agriculture as a farmworker (campesina). She lived with her husband and baby son in Oasis, California. In the late 1990’s, Maria began to attend events held by Líderes Campesinas’ Coachella chapter. Through Líderes, she learned about domestic violence and recognized her own marriage in the descriptions of abuse. Maria’s husband regularly beat her, insulted her, and withheld money. Through Líderes Campesinas, Maria learned that such abuse is illegal and that she had the legal right to be safe and protected in her home.
Maria began to share her experiences with the other members of Líderes Campesinas and with the local staff organizer. She became more involved, attending trainings and educational meetings about domestic violence. The local chapter organized a training with some VAWA lawyers from Los Angeles, and the staff organizer advised Maria to attend the training and talk to the lawyers. At that event, an attorney interviewed her and agreed to represent her. Within a few years, Maria’s VAWA application was approved and she was granted legal permanent residency. She left her husband during this time, and has since moved to Coachella, California.
Today, Maria remains an active participant in Líderes Campesinas. She regularly hosts educational meetings at her home, teaching other women about domestic violence, the dangers of pesticide poisoning, and their rights regarding workplace sexual harassment and assault. Every meeting of Líderes Campesinas opens with the reading of the organization’s mission and a brief shared reflection by members. Maria often recounts the assistance and emotional support that she found at Líderes Campesinas, empowering her to change her life.
Susana*, another survivor who was empowered to advocate for her rights, is a young woman living in Madera, California. She has been a member of Líderes Campesinas for over seven years, actively participating in know-your-rights trainings, empowerment seminars, and public awareness events.
In November, Susana was working at her regular job in the fields. Her manager touched her and tried to engage her in a forceful hug. She screamed, attracting attention from a man working nearby. He came over to investigate, causing the supervisor to release her. The supervisor angrily informed her that he would no longer pick her up for work, effectively meaning that she could no longer work in that job. She informed him that she would quit.
A few weeks later, Susana still had not received her final paycheck. She returned to the workplace and asked the head supervisor for her final paycheck. He inquired as to why she quit, given that she had always been a hard worker. She told him about what happened, and also informed him that she is a member of Líderes Campesinas. Through Líderes, Susana said, she had learned about her legal rights. She told the supervisor that she could file a complaint and cause significant problems for the workplace. He apologized for what happened, and told her that he appreciated being informed of what happened. The supervisor fired the manager who harassed Susana, and reinstated Susana in her position. Since this incident occurred, Susana has shared it with the members of her local Líderes Campesinas chapter.
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* Names have been changed to maintain Confidentiality.