Citation

Semler JL, Semler BJ, Wettersten K. J. Rural Community Psychol. 2010; E13(1): online.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Marshall University)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study examined the communication needs of Native American women who have been in intimately violent situations and who are using a domestic violence shelter. Hypothesis One states that shelters in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota will employ or utilize volunteers that are mainly from the majority population, in this case Caucasian. Hypothesis Two states that shelters in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota will report either no multicultural training on Native American issues or multicultural issues, or report little training for shelter staff/volunteers on multicultural issues. To the researchers’ knowledge there have been no studies done to assess the amount of multicultural training, and in particular Native American cultural training, given to domestic violence shelter staff. The results indicate a need for more diverse staff and multicultural training to reduce the communication barriers between domestic violence shelter staff and multicultural women specifically, Native American women entering shelter