MORRISTOWN: The Morris County Prosecutor's Office and the Jersey Battered Women's Service in collaboration with three key government and civic agencies and organizations are reaching out to the county's Spanish-speaking population with a program that will focus on domestic violence in the Hispanic community.

Partnering with the Prosecutor's office and Jersey Battered Women's Service are the Morris County Office of Hispanic Affairs, the Morris County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Morris County Department of Human Services.

The event is two fold, with the groups involved holding a press conference Saturday to spread the message about the Monday night program, and give the Jersey Battered Women's Service a center stage to unveil its year-long focus on getting the word out in Spanish about its services. It will also provide vital information from the Prosecutor's office to ensure that victims of domestic violence are aware of their rights and remedies under the law.

The Saturday press conference to promote the Monday night event will begin at 9:15 a.m. at Saint Margaret's Church, 6 Sussex Ave. in Morristown. Following the press conference, members of these organizations will walk in Hispanic neighborhoods in Morristown and Dover to hand out flyers to notify people about the free two-hour program, between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. at the Casa Puerto Rico, 50 West Blackwell Street in Dover.

Prosecutor Robert A. Bianchi, Esq. said, "Domestic violence is a very serious social and legal issue and we, as the leaders of the community, have a responsibility to educate our citizens so that we can try to combat this problem with resolve. In this operation we are reaching out to the Spanish speaking populace. We want to make sure that all persons, regardless of the language they speak, are aware of one simple reality. We will not relent in the arrest and prosecution of persons who commit these cowardly and destructive acts. We are educating the public in all languages to get this simple message out."

The speakers Monday night include representatives from Legal Services of New Jersey, the Morris County Prosecutor's Office, the Jersey Center for Non-Violence and the Jersey Battered Women's Service.

Those familiar with domestic violence trends said many cases involving Hispanics go unreported. There are many reasons why.

"Domestic violence transcends all economic, religious and cultural boundaries," said Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Tia Manochio, who oversees the prosecution of domestic violence defendants on behalf of the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.

"The issues Hispanic domestic violence victims deal with include language barriers and a lack of faith in law enforcement based on experiences in their native country. There also is a lot of fear of deportation, of losing the family's breadwinner and of threats and reprisals," Manochio said.

Patty Sly, executive director of the Jersey Battered Women's Service, agrees, noting, "In 2008, the number of Spanish speaking clients approached 20 percent up from the single digits in 2000."

"It is one of the most widely unreported crimes in our community. We have seen a growth in the numbers of Hispanic domestic violence victims. That's due to the growing Latino population as well as the agency's move to offer services in Spanish so we can reach more clients," she said.

The Hispanic community has grown 41.4 percent since 2000 while the county's total population has increased 8.9 percent. There are some 51,792 Hispanics in the county, according to the county planning department.

By the numbers between 1998 and 2007, Morris County reached a high point in 2004 with 2,644 domestic violence incidents, and a low in 1999, when there were 2,424 incidents, according to state statistics. In 2007, there were 2,473 incidents.

Sly said the events will make a difference. "This will allow people to come forward for services knowing that their confidentiality will be respected and they'll receive services in Spanish. This is going to reach many more people."

Bianchi added, "The Morris County Prosecutor's Office is dedicated to protecting victims of domestic violence and will hold defendants accountable for their conduct by prosecuting these cases. We hope this program helps victims know that there are services available to protect them from their abusers."

(This report was filed March 4, 2009 by Agent Bill Swayze, who can be reached at 973-285-6200)