DeafHope Helps Victims of Domestic Abuse

As a victim of domestic abuse, who do you call when you are Deaf?

By Deborah Burstyn
BAWJ Staff Writer

Julie Rems-Smario Exec. Dir. Deaf Hope

Lavender-colored life-size silhouettes made of wood line the halls of DeafHope’s Oakland office like statues. Each one displays a photograph and hand-written epitaph for a deaf woman murdered by her partner, in some cases hearing and in some cases not.

These tragic monuments serve as a constant reminder of DeafHope’s mission: to end domestic violence and sexual assault against Deaf women and children through empowerment, education and services.

DeafHope was founded in 2003 by eight women, including its current Executive Director Julie Rems-Smario. The SF Bay Area Women’s Journal visited Rems-Smario at DeafHope’s office in the Alameda County Family Justice Center to learn more about her and the organization.

Rems-Smario graciously typed her responses to our questions because we regretfully do not know sign language.

Do deaf women have different needs than other women in abusive situations?

Deaf women who come from Deaf families have been in communication since birth with their families in sign language. They are generally the best self-advocates.

Unfortunately many deaf women from hearing families did not receive adequate communication, starting with a long period of grieving on their parents’ part. Here at DeafHope we make the agency Deaf-centered with all the staff signing.

Abuse survivors are often surprised to find out that I, as the executive director, am Deaf. That itself is very empowering. At DeafHope, abuse survivors can focus on domestic and sexual violence issues without worrying about communication barriers.

How does deafness factor into abuse?

Just as in the hearing population, abuse is about power and control. But Deaf women in abusive situations face additional challenges.

One example is when a Deaf survivor calls 911 for help. Often the police will talk with the hearing batterer instead of getting an interpreter for the Deaf woman to tell her story. They will close the case based on the hearing batterer’s story who often will say there isn’t a problem.

How do women in need of services find out about DeafHope? How many women and children has DeafHope helped?

We continue to rely on community support for DeafHope’s future success. As for reaching out to Deaf women about DeafHope services, we found that our most powerful pubic relations are word of mouth. Or rather, word of hands.

Since the inception of DeafHope in 2003, we have provided services to over 450 Deaf women and children.

What geographical area do you cover?

We provide direct services to ten Bay Area counties including Alameda County. However we give technical assistance and support through videophone and email all over California and the nation.

What kind of services do you offer?

We have a 24 hour email hotline system. When we are contacted we arrange for an instant message appointment, videophone session, or TTY call, whichever the survivor prefers. Most of the time, the preference is to meet in person.

What about the need for housing and jobs?

I am so glad you asked that! There is only one Deaf shelter in the United States.

We are in the beginning phase of launching our capital campaign for a DeafHope center including a shelter and transitional homes. It is a 10 million dollar project which will take about seven years to accomplish. It will be the first one ever in California and second in the nation.

I am very excited about this project and invite the community business women, and everyone, to join DeafHope to make this incredible dream come true from many abused Deaf women.

Julie Rems-Smario is a 2007 CNN Hero, honored for her work as Executive Director and co-founder of DeafHope. Based in Oakland CA, DeafHope is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending domestic and and sexual violence against Deaf women and children. To learn more about their programs and how you can help, please visit DeafHope’s website.

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