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 Narika
  

a Helpline for abused South Asian women
 1.800.215.7308

S E R V I C E S    &  O U T R E A C H   P R O G R A M S

HELPLINE & SUPPORT SERVICES:
Our toll-free helpline is answered by trained advocates and volunteers who provide support to women and children in abusive situations, and a voice on the phone that is nonjudgmental, sympathetic, and understanding of the varied lives of South Asian women in the United States.  Working with sensitivity and care, advocates offer support and information, assist callers to gain access to resources, refer women to shelters, medical care, mental health services, social services, and legal services.  

Support services can include ESL classes, job training, career development, childcare, and other programs that enhance a woman's strengths and promote self-sufficiency. 

Staff and volunteers speak Bangla, Hindi, Gujarati, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Marathi, Marwadi, Punjabi, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.

YOUTH OUTREACH PROGRAM: Our prevention programming is targeted to youth and young adults in schools, colleges and workplaces.  This program provides support, information, referrals, and workshops to youth dealing with issues around cultural identity, sexual identity, family conflict, parental pressures, domestic violence, and abuse by peers and/or adults.   Our youth have written and produced six  ‘zines, a website www.youngAZNlife.org and a video: young asianz rising!  breaking down violence against women.

LEGAL SERVICES FELLOWSHIP:
Many of the women who call Narika need advise about and/or representation for the abusive situation they are in, for divorce and child custody issues, and for immigration matters.  Our full-time attorney can provide many of the legal services required and supplement the advocacy our staff and volunteers provide.  This centralization and coordination of legal services greatly eases the burden on the battered women we serve.

WOMAN TO WOMAN OUTREACH:
Our community's silence about domestic violence causes further suffering for victims and condones the abuser's behavior.  This program promotes awareness about domestic violence by organizing discussions amongst monolingual women at blue-collar work sites such as factories, laundries, and restaurants.  By prioritizing the women's cultural and language needs, these discussions build supportive networks, provide valuable information, and increase utilization of our services.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH:
Our community education programs reach a large network of South Asians: recent partnerships with Islamic centers and Sikh associations inform the development of faith-sensitive programming.  

Training and consultation to medical or mental health professionals, domestic violence agencies, and youth organizations increase cultural sensitivity and competence. 

We are providing technical assistance to women in rural areas to assist them in establishing their own helping networks based on our model.

ASIAN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE NETWORKS:
Narika is active in several collaboratives organized to address the issue of domestic violence in our Asian communities. 

Our prevention programming is in collaboration with Nihonmachi Legal Outreach.  Intervention and services are in collaboration with Asian Women’s Shelter, Nihonmachi Legal Outreach, and Cameron House. 
The Department of Health Services, the Department of Justice and The California Endowment fund both these collaboratives. 

We work with South Asian organizations like Maitri and Sakhi. 

Narika is also an active member in Alameda County’s Asian Collaborative to End Domestic Violence, the City of Berkeley’s Domestic Violence Oversight Committee, and acts as the fiscal agent for the South Asian Health Collaborative.

contact information:
Narika
PO Box 14014
Berkeley, CA. 94712
email: narika@narika.org
Phone #  510-540-0754
Fax #  510-540-0210

for more information visit their website at: http://narika.org/