Category: Community Share

Healthy Relationships

Post author By Blog Author
Post date May 1, 2023

1 in 3 teens will experience some form of physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional abuse by a dating partner and approximately 8.5 million women experienced sexual assault before the age of 18. Teen dating violence, a form of intimate partner violence, is the most prevalent form of youth violence – affecting youth regardless of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status.

Just a couple months ago I was invited out to Austin, Texas to conduct a training for a group of young college-aged women. I began my presentation with the same eye-opening activity I always use – “Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Now, raise your hand if you either have experienced or know someone who has experienced some form of intimate partner violence. Now open your eyes and look around.” There was not a single hand in the room that was not raised…

After concluding my presentation with the young women, a few came up to me to express how they wished they had the opportunity to learn about healthy relationships before they had started dating. So, here is where you come in – preventing teen dating violence requires a broad coalition of parents, schools, and community organizations to join forces to start having conversations about healthy relationships at an early age.

Here are a few steps you can take to help prevent teen dating violence:

Become a trusted source for information about relationships – talk about relationships, including difficult topics like red flags, sex, and dating violence.
Teach your children about healthy relationships – how to form them and how to recognize them. Healthy relationships are built on trust, honesty, respect, equality, and compromise. Children need to hear about what constitutes a healthy relationship and how safe relationships are established.
Encourage children to be assertive – to speak up for themselves and voice their opinions or needs. Teach and model ways to say “NO!”
Help children recognize warning signs of an unhealthy relationship – include jealousy, controlling behavior, and other red flags.
Encourage children to be active bystanders – to take action/give support when a friend is in an unhealthy relationship.

Effective prevention and action has been seen to significantly decrease cases of intimate partner violence in teens. If you are interested in learning more about healthy relationships or wanting to set up a healthy relationships training, please email tishya@dayahouston.org.

Let’s do our part to decrease the number of hands that go up when asked “raise your hand if you either have experienced or know someone who has experienced some form of intimate partner violence.”

About the Author

Tishya Bedi is the Director of Outreach and Education at Daya Houston.

Tags daya, dayahouston, domestic violence, harris county texas, healthy relationships, mental health, mental health awareness month, mental health stigma, mham, sexualviolence, tishya bedi, trauma informed

Community Share Crime Victims Op-eds

Honoring Crime Victims’ Rights Week

Post author By Amy
Post date April 24, 2023

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

Tags crime victims, crime victims rights, domestic violence, harris county, harris county resources, harris county texas, sexualviolence, trauma informed, victim services

Community Share Op-eds Sexual Assault

Shining a Light on Sexual Assault: – TX FNE

Post author By Blog Author
Post date April 17, 2023

Shining a Light on Sexual Assault: Empowering Survivors and Promoting Healing
with Texas Forensic Nurse Examiners: Forensic Center of Excellence (TXFNE)

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), a time to unite as a community to raise awareness about sexual assault, advocate for survivors, and talk about prevention.

One organization working on the frontlines to support survivors of sexual assault are the forensic nurses, advocates, and staff at Texas Forensic Nurse Examiners: Forensic Center of Excellence (TXFNE).

TXFNE opened its doors in Houston 2019, challenged to aid in closing the gap in medical forensic services for victims of sexual violence. The issue? Sexual assault victims sometimes had to go from hospital to hospital to receive an exam, or wait for hours, or find out they could not be treated at all.

Now in its fourth year, TXFNE operates as a 24/7 community-based victim service center that provides medical forensic exams, dispatching specially trained forensic nurses to 55 partner hospitals and clinics throughout the Houston area. Nurses arrive within 90 minutes of receiving a call a victim is in need of a medical forensic exam.

TXFNE has also expanded services to include adult forensic interviews, counseling and advocacy, and legal support to all survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, human trafficking, child abuse and elder maltreatment. All services are confidential and free of charge.

For more information, visit TXFNE’s website.

Understanding Sexual Assault

Sexual assault refers to any unwanted sexual act, including rape, attempted rape, and other non-consensual sexual contacts (RAINN, 2021). It is a pervasive problem affecting millions worldwide, regardless of age, gender, race, or socioeconomic status. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), one in five women and one in 71 men will experience sexual assault at some point in their lives (NSVRC, 2021).

Preventing Sexual Assault

Prevention efforts should be multifaceted and involve individuals, communities, and institutions. Here are some strategies to consider:
Education: Comprehensive sex education that includes lessons on consent, healthy relationships, and bystander intervention can help create a culture that discourages sexual violence (CDC, 2019).
Bystander intervention: Encouraging individuals to safely intervene when they witness potential incidents of sexual assault can help prevent violence from occurring (Banyard, 2011).
Social norms change: Promoting healthy, respectful relationships and challenging harmful beliefs about gender and sexuality can create environments where sexual assault is less likely to occur (Heise, 2011).
Institutional policies: Strengthening policies and procedures that protect survivors and hold perpetrators accountable is essential in preventing sexual assault (NSVRC, 2015).

Supporting Survivors
Survivors of sexual assault may experience a range of physical, emotional, and psychological effects. It is crucial that they receive appropriate support and resources to facilitate healing. TXFNE plays a vital role in providing this support through its forensic nursing, advocacy, and counseling services.

Ways to help:

Believe: The first and most important step is to believe and validate a survivor’s experience.
Offer resources: Provide information about TXFNE, local crisis centers, counseling services, and medical providers that specialize in supporting survivors of sexual assault.
Encourage autonomy: Support the survivor’s decisions and respect their choices regarding reporting, medical care, and other steps in the healing process.
Be patient: Healing from sexual assault can be a long and challenging process. Give the survivor the time and space they need to process their experience.

By educating ourselves and our communities about the impact of sexual assault, by advocating for survivors, and by working together to prevent future incidents, we can make a meaningful difference in combatting sexual violence.

The Texas Forensic Nurse Examiners (TXFNE) plays an essential role in the movement to end sexual violence by providing expert forensic nursing services, advocacy, counseling, and legal support, working toward comprehensive solutions for victim services. Together with organizations like TXFNE, we can empower victims, promote healing and create a safer environment for everyone.

References

Banyard, V. L. (2011). Who will help prevent sexual violence: Creating an ecological model of bystander intervention. Psychology of Violence, 1(3), 216-229.
CDC. (2019). STOP SV: A technical package to prevent sexual violence. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/sv-prevention-technical-package.pdf.
Heise, L. L. (2011). What works to prevent partner violence? An evidence overview. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/derec/49872444.pdf.
National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC). (2021).
Statistics about sexual violence. Retrieved from https://www.nsvrc.org/statistics.
National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC). (2015). Key components of sexual assault crisis and advocacy programs. Retrieved from https://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/publications_nsvrc_guides_key-components-ofsexual-assault-crisis-and-advocacy-programs.pdf.
RAINN. (2021). What is sexual assault? Retrieved from https://www.rainn.org/articles/sexual-assault.

Tags fne, forensic nurses, harris county, harris county resources, harris county texas, sexual assault awareness month, texas forensic nurses, tx fne, txfne

Children Community Share Op-eds

Harris County Resources for Children and Adults

Post author By Blog Author
Post date April 10, 2023

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

This month and throughout the year, we all need to take part in protecting children and making Harris County a safer and better place for children to grow and thrive.

Last year, more than 56,000 children in Texas were victims of abuse or neglect. We often see a rise in incidents of child abuse and neglect during stressful times. The loss of employment, isolation, lack of housing, money and resources are just some of the risk factors that can reduce a parent’s ability to cope effectively with the day-to-day stressors of raising a child. The good news is that child abuse is preventable. The best way to prevent child abuse is to support families and provide parents with the skills and resources they need. Families are better able to deal with life stressors when they have the support and the resources they need.

For more than half a century, Harris County Resources for Children and Adults has been providing services to strengthen families and to help vulnerable children and adults in our community. We provide services to abused and neglected children with services such as:

Medical, dental, and behavioral health care in one location
Transitional services to current and former foster youth to empower them for successful adult living
Emergency shelter for abused and at-risk youth
Basic necessities, clothes, school supplies and holiday gifts

We provide community and school-based prevention and early intervention services to divert youth from involvement with child protective services and the juvenile justice systems. Some of our services include:

24/7 crisis intervention and hotlines
Mental health services
School-based counseling
Services for truancy, homelessness, parent-child conflict
Services for youth involved with the Justice of the Peace Courts
Summer and after school programs

In addition, we provide services to vulnerable adults and senior victims of crime. These services include:

Guardianship services for indigent and incapacitated adults in Harris County.
Services for senior victims of abuse, neglect or exploitation, age 65 or older.

All our services are voluntary and at no cost to families.
For more information visit resources.harriscountytx.gov or call our 24-hour number 713-295-2600.

Tags april child abuse prevention month, child abuse prevention awareness month, harris county, harris county resources, harris county resources for children and adults, harris county texas, resources for child abuse prevention, transforming communities

Children Community Share Op-eds

Texas Advocacy Project

Post author By Blog Author
Post date March 9, 2023

My name is Aarian Tipton. I am one of 3 licensed masters social workers with Texas Advocacy Project.

TAP provides free legal services and access to the justice system, and advances prevention through public outreach and education. We provide holistic trauma-responsive care in collaboration with the legal team. Our services aim to reduce barriers to legal services and provide pathways to improve long-term stability. Social workers are typically consulted after a survivor has spoken to a staff attorney, and expressed a need-or the staff attorney felt the survivor indicated they were in a high-risk situation.

A typical day for the social worker can look like speaking with a survivor about various safety concerns, stress, assessing mental health concerns, and providing various community resources. However, no day is the same and other challenges may arise. When survivors’ basic needs (shelter, food, mental health, ect.) are addressed, they are more likely to have improved engagement as well as improved legal outcomes. In addition to the case management/crisis management intervention we provide to survivors.

We have developed community partnerships such as with HCDVCC and UAHT, provide staff education and trainings, and provide internships for students. We currently have 3 interns. We provide services all over the state of Texas. Our website is: https://www.texasadvocacyproject.org/ we look forward to connecting with more organizations and survivors as it is our vision that all Texans live free from abuse.

Tags courage, domestic violence, empowerment, integrity, legal, sexualviolence, texas advocacy project, transforming communities, trauma informed

Children Community Share Op-eds

Family Scholar House

Post author By Blog Author
Post date March 8, 2023

Houston is one of the newest locations of the Family Scholar House brand. This organization was started in Louisville, KY in 1995 by a group of nuns and has grown to include 9 affiliates in 13 locations.

Family Scholar House targets single parents who want to pursue higher education (two year, four year or apprenticeship) and need a support system to successfully matriculate through. The Louisville program offers supportive housing to parent scholars and has almost 300 apartments on five campuses. Houston will also offer supportive housing for parent scholars starting in 2024-25. There will be 66 units to start and that number will grow over time.

One of their moms is a 30+ year old recently divorced mother of an autistic son. She lost their housing and stability when her marriage failed. She went back to school at a local community college and has found housing but it’s difficult to afford with the increase in rent locally. She’s grateful for the wraparound support, mentoring and connection to resources.

Their graduation rate is 88 percent, which would be the pride of any fine university. A whopping 70 percent of graduates are completely off public assistance within three months of leaving the Family Scholar House program. We are recruiting single parents who desire to complete their degree, mentorship, and connection to resources.

Another participant is a 20+ year old student with small children who will be graduating at the end of this year. She’s been connected to various resources, scholarships, counseling and mentorship.

For more information, call Felicia Young at 346-399-6278 or visit their website: https://familyscholarhouse.org

Tags empowering families, end poverty, family scholar house, transforming communities

Community Share

Healthy Relationships

Post author By Amy
Post date February 27, 2023

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

Sr. Director of Operations and Communications of HCDVCC, Amy Smith

Tags boundaries, communication, healthy relationships, national domestic violence hotline, respect

Capital Day Community Share Op-eds

Capital Day Wrap Up

Post author By Blog Author
Post date February 27, 2023

On February 16th I attended Capitol Day in Austin with over a hundred advocates across the state of Texas. This is probably my 7th Capitol Day and yet it was like the first time, because this year I got to see it through the eyes of the women who have survived and are now thriving in the aftermath of domestic violence. The Voices of Freedom, the Ambassador group of the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council, traveled to Austin to share their stories and provide education to our Representatives on the importance of funding and policy that will enhance the safety for all Texas survivors of domestic violence. Over the next couple of weeks, we will be sharing our Ambassadors’ experience in their own words.

Here is Lereca’s experience…

On February 16th with my heart racing and frostbitten fingers and toes, while wearing a beanie and a neck scarf, in partnership with hundreds of diverse voices- who shared a life-altering experience and dressed in hues of teal or purple, as one collective voice, we boldly marched towards that place in Austin, TX -the building in which many funding decisions are made for millions of Texans. We were at Capitol. We were at Capitol Day in partnership with TAASA & TCFV- this specific day was set aside for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.

See, a few minutes earlier the collective group gathered down the street for a legislative briefing to prepare us for the conversation we’d be having with the legislators and yes, I felt prepared.

I felt prepared and powered to talk about the Texas Stalking Statues. As a survivor of stalking, I felt compelled to share how I felt unprotected by the current statutes as is and how I believe my life was in danger- and it was because my stalker eventually strangled me. I will never forget when one of the legislators connected my story with their story. In the moment of sharing, this person could empathize with how it feels to be stalked. The stalking experience is terrifying. As a survivor, you often wonder if the stalker will ever be stopped. Well here’s what I know, I left the legislator’s office that day knowing that they’d feel equipped with an understanding of why the State of Texas should strengthen its stalking laws.

My experience at the capitol underscores how the value and impact of sharing my survival story coupled with data are necessary to inspire and invoke change in the domestic violence space. Thank you HCDVC for creating this moment and opportunity!

Tags austin tx, domestic violence, legislative session, sexualviolence, taasa, tcfv, texas stalking statues

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