Latino Arte and Culture, a 501 c3 nonprofit organization, hosted a Community Forum about violence within the Latino community at the Reno Little Theater Thursday evening.

The event was a response to the increase of violence within the Latino community during the long pandemic months, when children and women were obligated to quarantine with a violent person. 

Sylvia Gonzalez, Director of Client Services at the Domestic Violence Resource Center, tells us "A lot of the abusers were staying home with the victims and the incidents of domestic violence increased. Because they didn't have time to go ask for help."

The forum was held in Spanish and was open to the public. Four experts were on the panel to provide information on resources available to the community, such as organizations like Tu Casa Latina, the Domestic Violence Resource Center, Sexual Assault Support Services of Northern Nevada and the Victim Services Unit at the Reno Police Department.

The panelists covered ways women can be vigilant and protect one another and themselves, after the recent disappearance of two women in our region.

Gonzales says "If you want to come into our office, we can talk to you about what your rights are, what resources are out there."

She tells us the Hispanic community makes up 30% of their clientele at the center and reminds people that being a victim of domestic abuse doesn't necessarily mean physical, but can include emotional and financial abuse as well.