*Breaking Barriers Table of Contents

Breaking Barriers is a comprehensive manual that provides information that will be useful to advocates, attorneys, justice, and social services professionals working with and assisting immigrant survivors of domestic and family violence. This Manual provides a detailed overview explanation of immigrant survivors’ legal rights under immigration, family, public benefits, and criminal laws and their rights to access a broad range of victim services without regard to immigration status of the immigrant crime victim or their children. Breaking Barriers provides social science research findings, information about laws, policies and best practices, legislative history, tools and checklists that will help professionals working with immigrant survivors navigate intersecting legal and social services options that are legally available to assist all immigrant victims including those who are undocumented.

Breaking Barriers: A Complete Guide to Legal Rights and Resources for Battered Immigrants

Chapter 01.1: Dynamics of Domestic Violence Experienced by Immigrant Victims

Chapter 01.2: Collaboration, Confidentiality, and Expanding Advocacy

Chapter 02: Interviewing and Safety Planning for Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence

Chapter 03.1: Introduction to Immigration Relief for Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and Glossary of Terms

Chapter 03.2: VAWA Confidentiality and Breaches of Confidentiality

Chapter 03.3: Preparing the VAWA Self-Petition and Applying for Residence

Chapter 03.4: VAWA Cancellation of Removal

Chapter 03.5: Additional Remedies Under VAWA: Battered Spouse Waiver

Chapter 03.6: U-Visas: Victims of Criminal Activity

Chapter 03.7: Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Survivors and Gender-Based Asylum

Chapter 04.1: Access to Programs and Services that Can Help Battered Immigrants

Chapter 04.2: Public Benefits Access for Battered Immigrant Women and Children

Chapter 04.3: Barriers to Accessing Services: The Importance of Advocates Accompanying Battered Immigrants Applying for Public Benefits

Chapter 05.1: Battered Immigrants and Civil Protection Orders

Chapter 05.2: Ensuring Access to Protection Orders for Immigrant Victims of Family Violence

Chapter 05.3: Jurisdictionally Sound Civil Protection Orders

Chapter 06.1: Countering Abuser’s Attempts to Raise Victim’s Immigration Status in Custody Cases

Chapter 06.2: Criminal and Civil Implications for Battered Immigrants Fleeing Across State Lines with Their Children

Chapter 06.3: The Implications of the Hague International Child Abduction Convention: Cases and Practice

Chapter 06.4: Ensuring Economic Relief for Immigrant Victims Through Family Law Proceedings: Child Support and Spousal Support

Chapter 06.5: Immigration Status and Family Court Jurisdiction

Chapter 07: Battered Immigrants and the Criminal Justice System