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Crime Victims DVAM

Crime Victims Rights Week 2024

April may bring spring showers, but it also brings Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, Child Abuse Prevention Month and Crime Victims’ Rights Week. While much will be  written and many events will be planned about Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness through out this month, Crime Victim’s Rights Week always seem to get lost in the shuffle. The week of April 21st – 27th is a time to highlight and recognize the often-overlooked rights of crime victims. Crime Victims deserve our time and attention for more than just this one week, they deserve it every day of the year. This year’s theme is “Options, Services and Hope for Crime Survivors. How would you help?”

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics in 2022 there were 6.6 million violent victimizations against persons aged 12 or older and 13.4 million property crimes. However, we also know that many survivors do not report or tell anyone what happened to them. The reasons differ from person to person but some think by sharing it will make things worse especially if it is an ongoing issue, some are fearful especially if the perpetrator is someone they know or someone they perceive as powerful, like a boss, religious leader, or an influential person. Survivors can also feel ashamed, feel like it is their fault, fear they will not be taken seriously or fear retaliation. So, the question is how would you help a crime survivor? Would you know what to do?

A few things you can do is Offer Support. Start by listening without judgement and believe them. Just be there for them and show your support by giving them your time and focusing on what they are saying. It is their story to tell, and it is their decision about how much they want to share, it is your responsibility to listen to what they are saying without interrupting, judging, or giving unsolicited advice. Their story is unique to them and can not be compared to yours or anyone else’s. Share Resources- Familiarize yourself with local resources and hotline numbers. Google what they need and share what you find. You do not need to become an expert, there are plenty of those around, but find out what they need and more importantly what they want. Just by helping them locate resources, you can help them take back some of the control they might have lost because of being a crime victim.

Do not ever underestimate the Power of Hope. By listening and offering to help, crime survivors can take the steps toward establishing their new normal. Hope is also essential to mitigating some effects of the trauma associated with being a crime victim. Let us all help a crime victim become a crime survivor.

To learn more about options, services, and hope for crime survivors as well as access material to help spread awareness of victims’ rights and resources this week and every day, visit The 2024 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) Resource Guide .

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Holidays Op-eds

Time to Reflect and Celebrate

As another year ends, it is time to reflect on the year that was. 2023 what a year! I remember looking forward to such a wonderful year (especially after surviving the chaos of Southwest Airlines!)  But never did I imagine what the world had in store for us. Two major wars raging, not to mention all the smaller conflicts that get little to no media coverage. Political turmoil, poverty, homelessness, hate crimes, and senseless violence throughout our country and the world. We lost many famous people this year (here is hoping you are eating a cheeseburger in paradise Jimmy Buffett and could heaven be any nicer for you Matthew Perry).

While I could fill line after line of all the terrible things that occurred this year I do want to reflect on some really good things:

  • The smile of a random stranger
  • The laugh of a child
  • A really needed hug
  • Cuddles with a pet
  • Supporters/funders who really understand what we need
  • Partners that are willing to work together
  • Watching co-workers blossom
  • Being able to say yes when everyone else has said no
  • The kindness of people
  • The strength and resilience of our clients
  • The strength and resilience of each one of us

I realize 2024 will bring many challenges, some that we know of, and I am sure many more we do not anticipate. But I cannot help but have gratitude for the things above and many more I did not list. I heard a friend say the other day, someone told her they start their day off with three things they are grateful for. So, I challenge you as I am challenging myself, to start your list of resolutions by finding at least one or two things to be grateful for every morning. My hope is that by the end of next year, your gratitude list is longer than just the few same old things each day!

Happy Holidays and cheers to an amazing New Year!

About the Author

Pic of Deputy Director Amy Smith

Senior Director of Operations and Communications at HCDVCC,

Amy Smith

Categories
DVAM

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Today marks the end of October. A day that is filled with costumes and candy, but it is also the end of a month overflowing with press conferences, trainings, galas, walks, and vigils to commemorate Domestic Violence Awareness Month. One month of recognition among the many months of causes and awareness does not mean the impact of the pandemic of domestic violence is not there the other eleven months. Those of us that work in this field understand that domestic violence is a 24/7/365 problem. While we appreciate the time, attention and funds that are given to DV during October we know that so much more is needed.

We share “our” month with another epidemic, breast cancer. While both are “women’s” issues it seems it is so much easier to support breast cancer because we never hear anyone question what someone did to get breast cancer like we constantly hear the victim blaming about DV- “Why did she stay?” “What did she do?” “I would never allow myself to be in that situation.” We see pink everywhere- on athletes, news anchors, cars, badges, and sidelines yet we rarely see purple.

The numbers keep fluctuating, but there is never a minute, much less an hour or a day that goes by, that there is not some type of domestic violence incident. We keep hearing the numbers are up, the numbers are down but does it really matter? Even one incident is too much. Everyone deserves to live in a home free from not just physical violence but emotional, reproductive, and financial abuse as well. Children deserve to have a safe place to lie down their head at night without waking up to shouts, thumps, and bumps in the night. We need to stop the victim blaming. We need to hold those who cause harm accountable. So many more resources are needed for both the victims and those who cause the harm. Affordable housing, affordable childcare, employment, and a living wage for all.

While the month of October exhausts us with all the events and remembrances just imagine the fear and exhaustion a victim lives with constantly. Let’s be there for them, let’s stop blaming them. A DV survivor is the strongest person I know because they are doing or have done everything than can to survive. So, let’s celebrate their survival and honor those we have lost. Let’s continue to do that 24/7/365 until we can eradicate this horrible pandemic.

Categories
Community Share Op-eds

Relaxation Day…Yes you can!

August 15th is National Relaxation Day! What is the first thing that came to your mind when you read that sentence?

  • That is great but there is no way I can relax today, I have too much to do.
  • Relax- who has time for that?
  • Relax- I do not know how.
  • Relaxation is for lazy people.

According to the Oxford Dictionary the definition of relaxation is the state of being free from tension and anxiety. With so much going on in our world, our State and even in our jobs how can we ever be free from tension and anxiety? A lot of us work with people in constant crisis, which just adds to the constant crisis in our own everyday lives. It is often hard to compartmentalize our lives. Our work life bleeds over into our home life and what is going on at home is always in the back of our minds when we are at work. The word boundary gets tossed around a lot but very few of us set them. But you know what- it is okay to set them. There is a reason so many quotes are floating around about taking care of yourself- you cannot pour from an empty cup or put your oxygen mask on first, or you must pour something out before you can refill.

So, let us talk about how we can relax today and how we can incorporate it on a more regular basis. There are the usual activities:

  • Get a massage
  • Get a manicure and or pedicure
  • Talk a walk
  • Watch cute animal videos
  • Read a book
  • Play with a pet
  • Play with a kid
  • Go to a movie

And then there are the things we do not think about:

  • Start a journal
  • Schedule “me” time on your calendar
  • Turn off your phone and step away from your computer for a period of time (and stick to it!)
  • Call a friend or family member you have not talked to in a while
  • Share a meal with a friend or family member
  • Eat by yourself at a restaurant
  • Dance
  • Listen to music and sing along at the top of your lungs
  • List things you are grateful for
  • Smile at strangers
  • Compliment someone
  • Do a random act of kindness
  • Hand write a letter to someone

As Lauren Carter said: “Self-care allows us humans to maintain balance and continue functioning like a well-oiled machine that increases our ability to help care for others. Just as you would not expect your car to run continuously for 5,000 miles without stopping for gas or having its oil changed, you too cannot expect that of yourself! Running on empty eventually leads to a machine that no longer functions”.

Give yourself permission to relax not just today but every day. I challenge you to incorporate relaxation into your daily routine. We all have time to care for ourselves, we just need to realize our needs are just as important as our clients’. We help them get to where they need to be aren’t we significant enough to do the same for ourselves?

About the Author

Pic of Deputy Director Amy Smith
Amy Smith,
Sr. Director of Operations and Communications-HCDVCC
Categories
Community Share Legacies Op-eds

Community Partner Meetings

I was recently asked if our Community Partner Meetings were still relevant. After a brief pause, I replied yes, now more than ever!

The question made me pause for a minute to reflect on the 27-year history of these meetings. The second Thursday afternoon of every month since 1996, has been reserved for a time for those working in the DV domain to get together, network, share and support each other. While we have gone through many variations of our meetings, from education, to networking, to celebrating victories and mourning losses, one thing has remained constant, we met. Contacts were made, friendships were formed, trust was established, and informal relationships became formal. People have ebbed and flowed through the meetings, old friends retired or changed jobs (but still came), new people joined, but some people have been steadfast in their attendance- you knew where to find them on second Thursday afternoons.

I remember the first couple of meetings during COVID and how many people attended. How much we talked about the challenges the movement was facing, what we were experiencing during lockdown and more importantly, how we could continue to help support survivors. While the world shut down, the DV domain did not. However, as the months went by these meetings became more like a support group for those working the frontlines while still managing their daily lives and families. We met each other’s children and pets; we were allowed into each other’s homes, and we were there to pick someone up when they were feeling down. It was an honor to see the trust that allowed people to share their vulnerabilities with those in attendance.

Now that we are back to meeting in person, we have welcomed new folks and had the opportunity to hug those we have missed. We have gotten to know people outside of their ZOOM squares and learned how tall some people are while realizing others, not so much. It has been interesting to watch as we have slowly emerged from our hibernation to embrace our new “normal”. Our last several meetings have been so impactful, and it has been beautiful to be able to participate in them. The March meeting focused on Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI), because of the discussion at the meeting, HCDVCC changed our social media campaign that month to talk about the things we learned and how prevalent TBI and domestic violence really are. We also included signs and symptoms of TBI so everyone could be aware of them. The April meeting was a “Walk in Her Shoes”. We had two young survivors who found us on Eventbrite and came to see what we were about and how we could help them. Observing them participate in the exercise with seasoned advocates was refreshing, watching connections and immediate advocacy happening was amazing. The support they received from the advocates was just as important as their sharing their experiences with us. The May meeting centered around a Healthy Relationship presentation that was a direct result of a recommendation from the Adult Violent Death Review Team to include education on Healthy Relationships in every DV talk because how can you talk about DV if you don’t know what a Healthy Relationship even is?

Our June meeting will focus on the Domestic Violence High Risk Team and a new program we have established with our DVHRT Coach. Our July meeting will be an introduction to Neurofeedback and the benefits to DV survivors. August will bring our summer break and Fall is packed with exciting offerings as well.

Come join our meetings. Stop in and get reacquainted with old friends, meet new ones. See beyond the ZOOM squares to the actual people.

“But even with the inspiration of others, it’s understandable that we sometimes think the world’s problems are so big that we can do little to help. On our own, we cannot end wars or wipe out injustice, but the cumulative impact of thousands of small acts of goodness can be bigger than we imagine”.
-Queen Elizabeth II

About the Author

Pic of Deputy Director Amy Smith
Amy Smith,
Sr. Director of Operations and Communications-HCDVCC
Categories
Community Share Crime Victims Op-eds

Honoring Crime Victims’ Rights Week

Honoring Crime Victims Rights’ Week

The 1970’s were a volatile time in America. The Vietnam War was still raging with constant protests and the Equal Rights Amendment was struggling to get ratified (and is still not ratified to date). In the meantime, victims of crime had very few if any rights. In 1972, the first three victim assistance programs were created in St. Louis, San Francisco and Washington, DC to begin to address the unique needs of crime victims. In 1976, Harris County District Attorney Carol S. Vance was serving as President of the National District Attorneys Association when he heard about a program in California to help victims through the difficult experience of the criminal justice process. He decided that Harris County needed a similar program, so he tasked Suzanne McDaniel to establish the first such program in Texas. In 1977 the Harris County District Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Division was created to provide information, assistance, and support for victims of crime in Harris County.

Harris County was ahead of the times because it was not until 1982, that President Ronald Reagan created the President’s Task Force on Victims of Crime. The report from the Task Forces had sixty-eight recommendations in five different areas including proposed Executive and Legislative action at both the Federal and State levels, proposed Federal action, proposed action for criminal justice system agencies, proposed actions for organizations and a proposed amendment to the Federal Constitution. As a result, the United States Congress passed the Federal Victim and Witness Protection Act of 1982. This act changed the status of a crime victim from a person who merely identifies the perpetrator and testifies in court to the role of an active participant in the criminal justice process. Victims were allowed to provide victim impact statements to the court describing their experiences and costs of being a crime victim and guaranteeing the right to claim restitution. Two years later the US Congress enacted the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) that created a matching grant program to encourage states to create victim compensation funds and local programs to assist crime victims. Even though the Victim Witness Division had been established in 1977, it was not until the 69th Texas Legislature in 1985 passed HB 235 adding Chapter 56 to the Code of Criminal Procedure, Rights of Crime Victims. And in 1989 Texans voted to add the Victims Bill of Rights to the Texas Constitution (Article 1, Section 30). Over the years the Division has grown and changed its name to the Victim Services Division. In 2017, the Division applied for and received a grant to go from six Victim Assistance Coordinators to twenty-one! Their expansion continued and they now have twenty-five Victim Assistance Coordinators who reach out to over 20,000 victims of crime each year! How the Victim Services Division helps crime victims in Harris County: Basic Services
  • Orientation to the criminal justice system and process;
  • Assistance to victims who must testify;
  • Crisis Intervention
  •  Information about the individual case status and outcome;
  • Assistance with compensation;
  • Facilitating victim participation in the criminal justice system;
  • Information about and referral to community services;
  • Education and training for the general public, justice system personnel, and local service providers; and
  • Post disposition/conviction services
During Prosecution
  • Ensure that victims are afforded their rights.
  • Provide a victim impact statement, as well as assistance completing forms.
  • Provide notification of prosecution case status.
  • Provide court accompaniment
  • Prepare victims for the courtroom
  • Provide referrals to social services, counseling, and other criminal justice agencies.
  • Provide follow-up services, including reassurance, supportive listening, and options for solving problems related to the crime’s impact.
  • Provide a secure waiting area for victims now known as the Suzanne McDaniel Victim Waiting Room.
  • Assist with questions and concerns about the Crime Victims’ Compensation program.
  • Provide assistance with victim appearance coordination.
Post-Conviction
  • Provide victims with information about their right to address the court after sentencing.
  • Assist with the timely delivery of victim input to institutional corrections and paroling authorities.
  • Assist with parole notification of an inmate’s change of status within the Department of Criminal Justice.
  • Arrange for advocacy for victims at parole hearings.
  • Provide appellate notification to victims.
For a complete list of Victims’ Rights in Texas you can click on this link from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

About the Authors

Written by:

Amy Smith, Senior Director of Communications and Operations for HCDVCC

and

Colleen Jordan, Assistant Director for the HCDA Victim Services Division

Categories
Community Share

Healthy Relationships

As we wrap-up Teen Dating Violence Month, how can we really have conversations about Domestic Violence without talking about Healthy Relationships? A consistent finding from the Harris County Adult Violent Death Review Team is that so many people do not realize they are in an abusive relationship because they have never observed a healthy one. As a result of this, we should all change the way we present DV 101 trainings, we should start with the dynamics of healthy relationships. I think the best description of a healthy relationship comes from the National Domestic Violence Hotline (The Hotline). I try to incorporate their information into all my trainings. A healthy relationship should allow both people to feel supported and loved but still maintain their independence. According to the Hotline, the two components of a healthy relationship are communication and boundaries. Communication means both partners can express their thoughts and opinions without fear. They treat each other with respect in discussions, they feel heard without being criticized, and they listen to each other. They also celebrate each other’s successes and accomplishments while supporting each other through disappointments and losses. Boundaries are important to establish at the beginning of every relationship. Each person should express to their partner what they are comfortable with or not comfortable with when it comes to sex, finances, family, friends, and personal space. In a healthy relationship, it is important for each partner to be able to spend time with family and friends without having to constantly check-in with the other. They do not abuse technology to track the other person or put pressure on their partner to do things they do not want to do. They also do not constantly accuse each other of being unfaithful they trust the other. While even healthy relationships can have conflict, it is should be resolved in supportive ways. Find the real issue, on occasion arguments erupt over things that have been brewing for a while. Try to get to the heart of the matter, if possible, compromise to find a middle ground that you both can agree on. Sometimes it is okay to agree to disagree. If the relationship has constant conflict that cannot be resolved in a healthy way, maybe it is not the right relationship for either of you. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to walk away before it escalates into an abusive situation. Both of you deserve a healthy relationship without continuous conflict.

About the Author

Pic of Deputy Director Amy Smith
Sr. Director of Operations and Communications of HCDVCC, Amy Smith
Categories
DVAM Op-eds Press Release Uncategorized

Statement to KPRC 2

Statement to KPRC 2

By: Barbie Brashear and Amy Smith

The blatant disregard for the safety of the victim in the Aubrey Taylor case is just another concern in the long line of issues relating to how Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is addressed in Harris County. Harris County consistently leads our State in IPV homicides. The Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council and our Community Partners have numerous programs in place to assist victims of IPV but without the support of the entire Community and especially all involved within the Criminal Justice System, we will keep leading the State in IPV homicides.

There are many barriers to leaving an abusive situation, one including increased violence and risk for homicide when making the decision to leave. How will the victim be safe from their abuser? For a victim, knowing her offender is in custody gives her the ability to develop and employ a safety plan for when and if the perpetrator is released. This respite has increasingly become even shorter with the bond conditions that are being assigned case after case.

One can only imagine the depth of terror felt by the victim while being held by the offender over several days. The abuse the victim suffered at his hands is unfathomable. While we know an offender is innocent until proven guilty, his previous convictions lead us to believe that he perhaps is not going to follow the law, that committing further violence in the future is more than possible, and our system will not hold him accountable. The intimate partner violence field has tools and knowledge that can be used by criminal justice systems to assess for risk for intimate partner violence and the likelihood of homicide to occur. These tools can be used by law enforcement as well as the judicial response to assist in decision making including the assignment of appropriate bonds – WHY ARE WE NOT USING THEM? Harris County is the 3rd largest county in the United State and we lag far behind in dedicating resources to ensuring that our systems and first responders are using the most up to date tools and technology. Additionally, we lag behind in ensuring that all of our systems are looking at the same information related to cases. What is happening that Judges aren’t looking at the totality of the case or of the history – why is our county not using evidence-based risk assessment tools to make consistent and informed decisions? Assigning bonds should require the use of the most reliable and validated tools that can ensure that these decisions are informed by information rather than personal speculation. In the case at hand, the assigning of a low bond – $1 – sends the message to the alleged offender that acts of violence against a loved one are really no big deal and the system will not be holding you accountable for the violence. The message the victim receives is that her life and the lives of all those suffering from IPV are not important and again, the system will not create a way to hold the person using violence accountable, nor afford her the time to increase her safety.

IPV has deadly consequences that can be seen every day. It is a crime that requires serious and thoughtful actions throughout the responding systems to ensure that victims are believed, supported, and protected. Harris County needs to step up and support victims and not treat the abuse they suffer as a family problem. It is a community problem requiring a coordinated community response.