By the San Diego Family Justice Center
What do cancer and domestic violence have in common? Both are things you don’t want, erode your quality of life and are challenging issues without a single cure-all.
Fortunately, there’s good news. Just as modern cancer centers are staffed with highly trained oncologists and support specialists, a Family Justice Center attacks domestic violence in the same way; by treating the cause, not the symptoms — all in one location.
Founded in 2002, the San Diego Family Justice Center, located at 1122 Broadway, Suite 200 in downtown San Diego, is the first center in the world to co-locate all DV-related services under one roof. With the need to travel to multiple locations eliminated, this model significantly reduces the possibility of someone receiving conflicting advice from different service professionals.
Showing posts with label Recovery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recovery. Show all posts
Friday, May 1, 2015
Monday, March 23, 2015
Why Family Justice Centers?
By Cherri N. Allison, Esq.
Imagine that you are a domestic violence victim and the mother of two small children under the age of ten. You have been in a physically and emotionally abusive relationship for 12 years. You are a stay at home mom and your husband controls all of the family finances. You have just found out you are pregnant and are afraid to tell your spouse because the last time you did the violence escalated. You literally have nowhere to turn. The police have been to your home several times and you have been in the hospital emergency room more than once. Before the Alameda County Family Justice Center opened in 2005 you literally had to navigate dozens of agencies in a county that spans 821 square miles. You must maneuver a medical system; navigate criminal and civil legal systems, and a court system that is incomprehensible at best. At the same time you are experiencing extreme emotional and financial stress and the possibility of homelessness. There must be a better way!
Simply locating different organizations in one space is not necessarily innovative nor does it inspire systems change or movement building. However, when the people who lead those organizations and maintain those systems begin to reach across barriers, real or imagined, such as the language of disciplines, stereotypes and implicit bias, client service delivery changes. Letting go of the need to be right, demystifying program and systems content are at the core of the Family Justice Center model. We must make thinking outside the boundaries the norm and operate from a client centered, strength based perspective to implement systems change work that has positive implications for clients.
Imagine that you are a domestic violence victim and the mother of two small children under the age of ten. You have been in a physically and emotionally abusive relationship for 12 years. You are a stay at home mom and your husband controls all of the family finances. You have just found out you are pregnant and are afraid to tell your spouse because the last time you did the violence escalated. You literally have nowhere to turn. The police have been to your home several times and you have been in the hospital emergency room more than once. Before the Alameda County Family Justice Center opened in 2005 you literally had to navigate dozens of agencies in a county that spans 821 square miles. You must maneuver a medical system; navigate criminal and civil legal systems, and a court system that is incomprehensible at best. At the same time you are experiencing extreme emotional and financial stress and the possibility of homelessness. There must be a better way!
Simply locating different organizations in one space is not necessarily innovative nor does it inspire systems change or movement building. However, when the people who lead those organizations and maintain those systems begin to reach across barriers, real or imagined, such as the language of disciplines, stereotypes and implicit bias, client service delivery changes. Letting go of the need to be right, demystifying program and systems content are at the core of the Family Justice Center model. We must make thinking outside the boundaries the norm and operate from a client centered, strength based perspective to implement systems change work that has positive implications for clients.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Bringing Awareness to the Prevalence and Danger of Stalking
This month, the California Victim Compensation Program (CalVCP) joined with law enforcement and national organizations to observe National Stalking Awareness Month. Stalking isn’t simply unwanted attention; it’s a serious crime that affects an estimated 6.6 million Americans each year. 1 in 6 women and 1 in 19 men become victims of stalking at some point during their lifetime. Victims of stalking may be threatened, fear for their safety and suffer violence as a result of the harassment.
California law defines stalking as willful, malicious and repeated following or harassing, and making a credible threat to the safety of another person. Stalking can include:
- Repeated phone calls or hang-ups
- Unwanted letters, emails, text messages or gifts
- Following you or showing up unexpectedly where you are
- Threatening to harm you, your property, family members or pets
- Using technology to track you or access your records or private information
It’s important to report all incidents of stalking to law enforcement. Don’t downplay stalking incidents; if you feel like you’re unsafe, then you may be in danger.
Contact local law enforcement immediately if you or someone you know is being stalked. Far too often these threats can escalate into physical assault or homicide. Studies have shown that for 76% of women killed by an intimate partner, stalking was a precursor to the violence. It’s important to report all incidents of stalking to law enforcement. Don’t downplay stalking incidents; if you feel like you’re unsafe, then you may be in danger.
Stalking crimes have a large impact on our society and on victims. Victims of stalking usually need ongoing mental health treatment to cope with victimization. Anxiety, insomnia, social dysfunction, and severe depression are much higher among stalking victims. There is help to create a safety plan, get mental health help and begin the recovery process. By raising awareness of stalking, it is our hope that we can help victims to take steps to ensure safety, prevent violence and aid in the recovery process.
Resources for Getting Help!:
- If you’re in immediate danger, call 911
- Contact a local victim advocate:
Victim Witness Assistance Centers in California - Create a safety plan:
The Office of the Attorney General - Financial assistance for crime-related costs:
The California Victim Compensation Program, (CalVCP) - Get a confidential address:
Safe at Home, California Secretary of State - More information on stalking awareness:
the National Center for Victims of Crime’s Stalking Resource Center
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
The Long Road to Recovery
Last month the LAPD announced that they had made arrests in the case of the brutal beating of Bryan Stow, the San Francisco Giants fan who was assaulted in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium on March 31st of this year. Two men, believed to be responsible for the assault on Mr. Stow, that left him with severe brain injuries, were taken into custody and charged with mayhem, assault and battery.
Despite the progress toward bringing Mr. Stow’s alleged attackers to justice, the true emotional and physical cost to Mr. Stow and his family can never be fully measured. This story, although unique in terms of the public interest it has attracted, is like so many other stories of victims of violent crime, entailing great financial toll and a long struggle for recovery. In the five months since the attack, Mr. Stow remains hospitalized and battling very serious injuries.
News headlines seldom follow the personal aftermath of violent crime and the long road to recovery faced by victims. Once the tragedy is out of sight, we tend to forget about the burden victims are left to carry. Even more sobering, we know that for each story that we hear about in the media, there are literally thousands of other violent crimes in California, some which go completely unnoticed in the public eye. Whether we hear their stories or not, these are all victims who may travel this path without knowing where to turn, in order to find the support they need.
Though no one can ever erase another’s suffering and struggles, we can work together to make sure victims of crime receive assistance with the bills they can’t pay. At CalVCP, we work with victims to connect them with victim advocates and get them compensation for expenses incurred as the result of a violent crime.
For these victims, CalVCP assistance may be a critical step in the recovery process. We will continue our mission to provide the best service possible to all victims of crime and never forget the struggles they suffer and the long road to recovery they must endure.
Despite the progress toward bringing Mr. Stow’s alleged attackers to justice, the true emotional and physical cost to Mr. Stow and his family can never be fully measured. This story, although unique in terms of the public interest it has attracted, is like so many other stories of victims of violent crime, entailing great financial toll and a long struggle for recovery. In the five months since the attack, Mr. Stow remains hospitalized and battling very serious injuries.
News headlines seldom follow the personal aftermath of violent crime and the long road to recovery faced by victims. Once the tragedy is out of sight, we tend to forget about the burden victims are left to carry. Even more sobering, we know that for each story that we hear about in the media, there are literally thousands of other violent crimes in California, some which go completely unnoticed in the public eye. Whether we hear their stories or not, these are all victims who may travel this path without knowing where to turn, in order to find the support they need.
Though no one can ever erase another’s suffering and struggles, we can work together to make sure victims of crime receive assistance with the bills they can’t pay. At CalVCP, we work with victims to connect them with victim advocates and get them compensation for expenses incurred as the result of a violent crime.
For these victims, CalVCP assistance may be a critical step in the recovery process. We will continue our mission to provide the best service possible to all victims of crime and never forget the struggles they suffer and the long road to recovery they must endure.
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