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Deaf individuals in the United States <br />experience rates of domestic and/or sexual <br />violence equal to or higher than their <br />hearing counterparts, with emerging <br />research pointing to rates twice that of <br />hearing individuals.[11 Yet, Deaf survivors <br />While these "for Deaf, by Deaf" programs are <br />the most effective approach to serving Deaf <br />survivors, only 21 of these programs exist <br />around the country. Due to limited funding <br />and other constraints, these programs <br />struggle to sustain themselves and other <br />routinely face barriers when reaching out for communities struggle to develop and launch <br />help. From 911 systems that only take phone- new programs. The result: "for Deaf, by Deaf" <br />based calls to domestic violence programs <br />and rape crisis centers that do not provide <br />bilingual and bicultural services in American <br />Sign Language to prosecutors who question <br />the credibility of Deaf witnesses, the <br />services and systems designed to respond to <br />domestic and sexual violence are not <br />equipped to meet the unique language and <br />cultural needs of the Deaf community. To <br />address the unmet needs of Deaf survivors, <br />Deaf communities have established victim <br />services agencies that are staffed by Deaf <br />people, rooted in Deaf culture, and <br />operated in American Sign Language. <br />victim services are not available in the vast <br />majority of the country, and Deaf survivors <br />living in cities and towns without these life - <br />sustaining programs often cannot access the <br />broad range of services and supports <br />survivors need for safety and healing, <br />including crisis counseling, information and <br />referrals, emergency shelter, counseling, and <br />legal and medical advocacy. <br />01 <br />