Gwinnett abuse rates up among non-English speakers

LAWRENCEVILLE - Domestic abuse rates have seen a rise among immigrant women in Gwinnett County, officials said Tuesday. <br> <br> About 600 non-English speaking women who were victims of domestic violence sought legal assistance from the county solicitor&#39;s office this year, making up about a quarter of all domestic abuse cases in Gwinnett County. <br> <br> ``It&#39;s unbelievable,&#39;&#39; said victim advocate Kelly Stone about the increasing numbers of women from other cultures needing assistance to protect themselves from abusive partners. ``There is especially an increase in the number of Spanish-speaking women who are victims.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> These cases pose unique obstacles to local law enforcement and advocacy agencies, who must deal with language barriers, she said. <br> <br> ``These cases are like putting a magnifying glass to domestic violence,&#39;&#39; Stone told the Gwinnett Daily Post. ``The women have less ability to navigate our system, and they&#39;re very isolated. They&#39;re very, very dependent.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Danuta Przadka, executive director of Tapestri, a coalition of domestic abuse groups aimed at helping immigrant women, said miscommunication can sometimes lead to bigger problems. <br> <br> In one Gwinnett County case, a Spanish-speaking woman went to court requesting a temporary protective order. The victim had some understanding of English, but miscommunication resulted in incorrect information provided to the judge, who didn&#39;t grant the order, Stone said. <br> <br> Abuse victims can instead turn to organizations, such as Tapestri, which offer guidance to women in a number of languages and provide educational materials to communities and law enforcement, Przadka said. <br> <br> ``It is extremely crucial to make sure the interpretation is correct,&#39;&#39; she said. ``We provide an explanation of the process (and) walk her through.&#39;&#39;