On March 13, 2003, Marlene Arellano Dotson, president and CEO of the , formed the Latina Immigrant Task Force to survey the needs of Latino victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. She also began to network with other service providers by sharing experiences, knowledge, and resources. Almost a year, later Denise Rodriguez, a Latina civic leader, formed the Latino Taskforce on Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence. On October 13, 2004, Dotson and Rodriguez merged their organizations and cofounded the Latino Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.
Incorporated in March 2005, the nonprofit organization provides support and advocacy to Latino victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in all 92 Indiana counties. It offers program coordination and skills training that assists service providers and member programs, aiming to develop, enhance, and improve their programming, policies, and services. The Latino Coalition designs this program coordination and skills training to increase linguistic and cultural competency.
The Latino Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence is recognized as the only organization of its kind in the country dedicated to improving the quality of life for Latino and immigrant families impacted by domestic and sexual violence. The organization has four board members and five employees.
The organization has hosted various conferences to create awareness of issues and prevention of domestic and sexual violence in the Latino community. These conferences include the Latino Women Leadership Forum, the Latino Sexual Assault Forum, and the Latino Sexual Assault Art Gallery.
The Latino Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence hosts programs and publishes material to promote sexual assault prevention and cultural awareness. Programs include the “Seed of Hope,” which has benefited more than 25,000 Latino survivors of violence; Victim Immigrant Services and Assistance, which has served 11,000 battered or abused immigrants with legal services, as well as immigration assistance for Latino victims who qualify for immigration relief; and the Latino Culture and Language Initiative, which has offered training to more than 5,000 community service providers around all 92 counties in Indiana. Publications include the Level of Cultural and Linguistic Competence in Organizations in Indiana, Spanish for Service Providers, English for Latino Immigrants, Spanish for Legal Service Providers, and Spanish for Health Service Providers.
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