Caribbean Exploratory [NIMHD] Research Center of Excellence University of the Virgin Islands School of Nursing Grant Support: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, NIH (# P20MD002286). The Caribbean Exploratory [NIMHD] Research Center of Excellence and Global Health Research Collaboration: Protecting Haitian Women and Children Earthquake Survivors from Violence and Abuse WELCOME

NBNA SYMPOSIUM JULY 13, 2011 This symposium will describe a project by the Caribbean Exploratory NIMHD Research Center (CERC) involving collaboration with experts in gender based violence including intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual assault, and working with groups to assess and meet the needs of internally displaced persons following disasters. Title of Project: Protecting Haitian Women and Children Survivors of the 2010 Haiti Earthquake from Violence and Abuse This research is funded as a supplement to CERC’s P20 funding as an Exploratory Research Center.

Symposium Overview The US Virgin Islands are in close proximity to Haiti, being only a one hour flight (511) flight miles) away, has a substantial Haitian immigrant community and previous history of collaboration with Haitian nationals. This proximity and existing relations and links to the Caribbean Diaspora make the CERC uniquely situated and relevant to addressing violence against women and adolescent girls who survived the Haiti earthquake of The symposium will describe CERC’s processes, activities, and challenges in establishing research partnerships and infrastructure to examine the extent and consequences of violence against displaced women and girls in Haiti.

OVERVIEW OF CERC HAITI PROJECT The specific aims of this project are to: 1) design and develop collaborative approaches and measures to protect internally displaced women and adolescent girl survivors of the Haitian Earthquake from violence and abuse. 2) describe the prevalence of violence and abuse among internally displaced Haitian women and adolescent girls following the Haitian Earthquake. 3) evaluate the outcomes of a collaborative project designed to protect internally displaced women and adolescent girls from violence and abuse following the Haitian Earthquake.

OVERVIEW OF CERC HAITI PROJECT The specific aims of this project are to: 1) design and develop collaborative approaches and measures to protect internally displaced women and adolescent girl survivors of the Haitian Earthquake from violence and abuse. 2) describe the prevalence of violence and abuse among internally displaced Haitian women and adolescent girls following the Haitian Earthquake. 3) evaluate the outcomes of a collaborative project designed to protect internally displaced women and adolescent girls from violence and abuse following the Haitian Earthquake.

PRESENTERS WELCOME

SYMPOSIUM SESSIONS Presentations include: 1. Overview of displaced women and children and the impact of violence from a global perspective; 2. Strategies for developing relationships to support research in a foreign country, including situational analysis and community based participation; 3. Use of Focus Groups to assure cultural and linguistic appropriateness in research; 4.Human subjects consenting and document translation into the national language; 5. Design, methods and analysis plans including use of audio computer assisted self interviews. (ACASI). 6. Preliminary trends and implications.

THE CONTEXT: HAITI