Because of the increasing number of Hispanic women in the United
States and their severe socioeconomic, health, and mental health needs,
social workers must empower these women, so they can participate in
the mainstream society. This article discusses the values that Hispanic
women bring from their countries of origin, which are dictated by the
belief in male superiority and dominance, popularized as machismo,
and legitimated through patriarchal social systems. In addition, it
presents suggestions for empowering Hispanic women at both the
micro and macro levels, including work with individual women and
changing policies and social systems to build a global response to
violence against women.
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