Friday, October 19, 2018

OSCAR Student Karina Escobar Researches Interpersonal Violence Among Latina Women


Hello, my name is Karina Escobar. I am a rising senior this fall at George Mason. My field of study is Community Health/Global Health. Growing up, I was always interested in helping others in any way that I could. When I saw the application for the IPV (Interpersonal Violence) among Latina women, I immediately wanted to be a part of it.

Like any research project, data needs to be collected. So, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, interviews were scheduled at the MAP clinics located in both Manassas and Culmore. From there my colleagues and I conducted those interviews with female participants who were either 18 or older and had been born outside the U.S. We asked questions from a survey that we had created previously. From the questions asked, our goal was to gain more knowledge about what Latina women experience when it comes to intimate partner violence. From their responses, it can help better shape or create future programs by knowing what to focus on.

This opportunity has been so incredible so far, it has helped shaped my understanding of what women face first hand. From the people I have met, I learn and live a part of their life through their stories. From this experience, one thing that I have discovered would be the impact that the people I have met had on me. I didn’t realize how emotionally strong I had to be. I think about how different my life is compared to other girls my age. It makes me more appreciative of how lucky I am to not have been through what they have.

Everything I have learned throughout this term, I will take with me. Seeing the determination and self-empowerment of some to have a better life, inspired me to have the same determination to fulfill my dreams and long-term goals.