Claire R. Thomas (left) and Nicole Tammelleo (right) with the collage of hands.
On April 8th, Safe Passage Staff Attorney Claire R. Thomas presented at Ending Violence Against Women International’s (EVAWI) 2015 International Conference on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Campus Responses in New Orleans, Louisiana. Claire and Nicole Tammelleo, a social worker and friend of the Safe Passage Project, gave a joint presentation on the integration of legal and social services in supporting immigrant survivors of gender-based violence.
Claire and Nicole’s presentation explored barriers to care and services for immigrant survivors and explained how these legal, linguistic, cultural, and social obstacles can cause isolation and misinformation. Through the discussion of a case study, Claire and Nicole then examined a model of service integration in order to show that an interdisciplinary approach to direct service empowers survivors with the knowledge and social networks necessary to gain self-esteem, to lead safer lives, and to obtain accurate legal information.
After their presentation, Claire and Nicole encouraged participants to make a collage of hands depicting collaboration and ending violence against women. Thanks to Safe Passage staff and interns for lending their “hands” to this collage!
Following the conclusion of the conference, Claire and Nicole were able to enjoy music and dancing during the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans before heading back to New York.