June 19 2023 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Sign Language Interpreters Not Provided Sign language interpretation is necessary for those who support survivors - advocates, medical personnel, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges - and Deaf survivors to communicate effectively with one another. Using a qualified interpreter, Deaf survivors can communicate in their primary language, increasing comfort and trust. Additionally, when qualified interpreters are used, information is communicated more accurately, which is essential in civil and legal proceedings. Yet, one of the most significant and enduring barriers Deaf survivors face when reaching out and receiving help is the consistent absence of sign language interpretation in victim services. In all of the interviews, listening sessions, and best practice research Vera has conducted to understand the needs of Deaf survivors dating back to 2008, the absence and, in many cases, the denial of interpreters to support communication in victim services is consistently raised by Deaf survivors and advocates as the most persistent barrier Deaf survivors face when accessing hearing programs and systems. They report a range of issues that negatively impact or breakdown communication from Deaf survivors being asked to read lips or write notes back and forth to family members or other unqualified people serving as interpreters. As shared in Vera's report Culture, Language, and Access: Key Considerations for Serving Deaf Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence, "these ad hoc measures lead to miscommunication, missed information, and frustration in any circumstance, but they are particularly problematic in the context of domestic and sexual violence. It is difficult to exchange information in a person's non-native language in the best circumstances, and it becomes even more difficult if that person has experienced trauma, is in crisis, or if the information being conveyed is complex — all of which apply to Deaf survivors."[40] 19