Enhancing Services for the Khmer Community

The purpose of this program is to enhance services to crime victims in linguistically specific communities by breaking down barriers that prevent millions of Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and limited English proficient (LEP) crime victims from accessing services after crime victimization. Organizations funded through this program will deliver victim-centered and trauma informed services to crime victims in linguistically-specific communities and expand the capacity to address the language access and service needs of all crime victims.

Specifically, The Center for Hope and Healing, Inc. through "Enhancing Services for the Khmer Community" will bring together nonprofit partners to develop multiorganizational capacity to provide victim-centered, trauma-informed, and linguistically specific services to Khmer-speaking victims of crime in Lowell, MA. Lowell is home to the second largest Cambodian population in the United States. Estimates place Greater Lowell’s Khmer population at 30,000-35,000, comprising between 15–25 percent of the city’s population. This project will address the many barriers that Khmer victims of crime face when receiving services. The project includes a partnership with The Cambodian American Literary Arts Association and Northeast Legal Aid to conduct focus groups with the Khmer community and improve service delivery to this population. The Center for Hope and Healing will provide linguistically specific services to 50 Khmer-speaking victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, human trafficking, elder abuse, and other crimes in Greater Lowell and will engage partner organizations in training, technical assistance, and other activities designed to increase the capacity of these organizations to effectively engage and service Khmer victims of crime in the Lowell area.

CA/NCF