
SPANISH / ENGLISH
INTERPRETER BANK (SEIB)

What:
Free and confidential Interpretation services

Why:
To empower victims of violence and to lower the language barriers they face

How:
Communicative autonomy for everyone, neutral and confidential interpretation by
a qualified interpreter

Who:
For victims of violence and their services providers thru a trauma-informed interpreter

When
Appointments are available during office hours 8:45am-4:45pm. Call 804-658-3341
for more information

Less:
“I’m sorry, I don't speak Spanish”/ “Lo siento, no hablo español”
More
"I need an interpreter to help me understand / Necesito un interprete para que me ayude a entender"


Empowerment through Communicative Autonomy
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Regardless of language, Survivors should be part of every conversation regarding their life, especially when it comes to their rights and options to get out of abusive situations.
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Advocates should not be obligated to risk the quality of their services due to extending their capacity to interpret on top of their assigned responsibilities. The quality of one or all of these services may be jeopardized when just one person is responsible for carrying out all of these roles. Interpreters can collaborate with advocates to make sure that victims have communicative autonomy.
-
Often, bilingual staff members are not trained interpreters, and even if they are trained, a conflict of interest may arise as a result of conflating obligations.


Trauma-Informed
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Trained skills are imperative to providing interpretation that does not create additional trauma or silence the survivor.
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When someone who is not impartial to the situation such as a peer, a child, or a family member is used as an interpreter, a great possibility of secondary victimization may arise as a result, or it may create additional problems for the agency or the victim.
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Free access to a trauma-informed team who is familiar with the scenarios victims often come into contact with (legal, law enforcement, social services, etc.).


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Simple online scheduling
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Virtual, telefonic, and in-person services








Are trained to be trauma-informed and victim-centered in order to provide services that avoid
re-traumatization

Go through specialized training to go over our ethics and protocols, with an emphasis on confidential and neutral interpretation

Are evaluated to demonstrate bilingual competence and are required to provide proof of language proficiency upon applying for a position (testing, degrees, certifications, etc.)


For Organizations



Attend our orientation to learn about how to work with our interpreters
Schedule appointments with our interpreters through our simple online system
Note: SEIB does not provide translation services. Please contact us with any questions or wish to find out more details.
FOR VICTIMS WHO SEEK INTERPRETATION SERVICES
If you are a victim of violence and you would like to access an interpreter’s services, please contact our 24/7 Helpline for Spanish speakers:

(888) 969-1825
Download our Brochure


Requirements
Our Interpreters Must...
Our Interpreters...
Trainings, Support, and Education