Spring 2010 Newsletter

From the Executive Director:

Victim/Witness Services for Coconino County responds to the emotional and physical needs of crime victims in Coconino County. We are unique in the State of Arizona as a non-profit provider of victim services, independent of city or county government. Grant and foundation awards, the annual “A Taste of Flagstaff ” fund raising event, and individual donations enable us to provide compassionate support and advocacy to victims of child abuse, adult and child sexual assault, domestic violence and homicide. All of our services are free of charge. As a victim services provider, we inform victims of their statutory and constitutional rights – “To be treated with fairness, respect and dignity, and to be free from intimidation, harassment or abuse throughout the criminal justice process.”

We provide on scene crisis intervention, safe housing, emergency food and clothing, Orders of Protection, court escort and transportation, and referrals to physicians, mental health counselors, and other community agencies. We help victims with medical bills, funeral expenses, counseling, and wage loss, provide cell phones for victims of domestic violence, and conduct community education and outreach programs. And our Pets, Too! Program offers temporary shelter to pets of women and children who are escaping domestic violence and abuse.

Last year, we celebrated our 25th Anniversary of assisting crime victims in Coconino County. Six victim advocates and twenty part-time volunteers were able to provide direct support to 960 new victims and make over 15,000 referrals for service. We are proud of our accomplishments and the important role we play in our community. The mother of a sexual assault victim shared the following: “When the trial started, I was very concerned about my daughter being there. What a relief it was to have you sitting next to us, explaining everything, feeling everything that we felt…Then came the verdict. You held my hand and cried with us. How grateful I am for your agency, you and your compassion. I could not have made it through this without you.”

If you are in need of our services, please contact us during office hours at 928-779-6163 or after hours (928) 774-1414. In an emergency, always contact law enforcement by dialing 911.

Coconino County Promotes Fairness, Dignity, Respect for Victims of Crime

During 2010 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 18 – 24, communities throughout the nation will rally to honor and support victims of crime. With the theme, Crime Victims’ Rights: Fairness. Dignity. Respect., 2010 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week will recall the ideals that inspired the decades-long struggle of the victims’ rights movement and challenge all Americans to honor victims’ rights.

Only a few decades ago, unfairness, indignities, and disrespect confronted many victims of crime. Victims of Crime in America, the 1984 report of the President’s Task Force on Victims of Crime, described a “hellish” justice system, focused on offenders and indifferent to victims’ needs. A victim disabled by a crime cashed in his life insurance to pay for heat and food. A sexual assault victim faced taunts and jeers from her attacker when she was forced to sit beside him in a courthouse hallway before the trial. Then she was excluded from the trial. At that time, victims’ only “right,” declared one expert, was “to remain silent” in the face of such inequities.

In the 25 years since Victims of Crime in America was published, a grassroots movement began to combat such unfairness and launched decades of progress for victims of crime. As of 2010, every state has passed victims’ rights laws, and 32 states have constitutional victims’ rights amendments. All states have victim compensation funds, and more than 10,000 victim assistance programs exist throughout the country. Such changes have made victims participants, rather than bystanders, in the criminal justice system.

Yet much work remains. Victims’ rights are not always enforced. Some victims receive no notice when a trial is scheduled or an offender released. Some courts deny victims’ right to be heard at sentencing or to be present at trials, or they fail to order restitution or issue protection orders to keep victims safe. Some victims never learn about victim compensation or receive victim services, an increasing reality during our current economic downturn. Such failures block victims’ access to their rights.

“The ideals we celebrate this week give hope to all Americans,” said Joye E. Frost, acting director of the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. “When a victim reports a crime because an officer treats her fairly, it enhances the safety of an entire community. When a court hears an impact statement or issues an order of restitution, victims learn the power of fairness, dignity, and respect. Yet when our nation falls short of these ideals, we fail victims and dishonor the progress we mark this week.”

Victim/Witness Services for Coconino County will commemorate National Crime Victims’ Rights Week with special events and training opportunities throughout the month. For more information and ideas on how to serve victims in your community, please contact Victim/ Witness Services for Coconino County at (928) 779-6163 or visit vwscoconino.org.

Mark Your Calendars

Monday, July 12, 2010

6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

High Country Conference Center

Guest check-in: 6:00 p.m.

Victim/Witness Volunteer Crisis Response Training

Our next Victim/Witness Services Crisis Response Training is scheduled the following dates and times:

• Friday, June 11, 2010 from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
• Saturday, June 12, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Sunday, June 13, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

This training will prepare you to actively become a Victim/ Witness Service volunteer and respond to crisis calls. You will learn the following:

• Crisis intervention skills
• Knowledge of sexual assault and domestic violence issues
• Understanding of community resources and referrals
• Active listening skills • Cultural awareness
• Knowledge of the criminal justice system
• Victim/Witness Services programs

The training will be held at the Parenting Arizona Conference Room located at 201 E. Birch Ave, Suite 1. Successful training completion requires attendance of each of the three scheduled sessions. If you are interested in volunteering, please complete the on-line VWS volunteer application form at vwscoconino.org and RSVP to hhulen@coconino.az.gov.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via email me at hhulen@coconino.az.gov.

Executive Committee

• Kathe Shinham, Ed.D., CPA, President
• Lt. Ken Koch, Vice President
• Cindy Cox, Secretary
• Paul Bustamante, Treasurer
• Kris Stark, Executive Director

Board Members

• Diane Chung, National Park Service
• Capt. Jeff Drayton, Coconino Sherrif’s Dept.
• Lauren Lauder, NARBHA
• Karen Pugliesi, Vice Provost NAU
• Marlene DeRosa, DeRosa Physical Therapy
• David Rozema, Coconino County Attorney
• Susan Shaw, NARBHA
• Paula Smith, UniSource

Volunteers

• Brown, Priscilla
• Butler, Kelly
• Cable, Melissa
• Caldwell, Amalia
• Carroll, Trista
• Couch, Amy
• Crowe, Daniel
• Davies, Genevieve
• Davis, Laura
• Dunning, Kayla
• Fall, John
• Frost, Nola
• Getchis, Mike
• Harrison, Caitlyn
• Helm, Hayley
• Irick, Tonya
• Kelty, Samantha
• Kort, Kayla
• Laureano, Krysta
• Millam, Gary
• Otero, Desiree
• Reid, Kristen
• Schmid, Candace
• Simms, Shea
• Tyra, Jessica
• Van Sanford, Dianna
• Willcoxson, Kaley
• Wilson, Stephanie

Community Thanks

“THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES” is based on Ensler’s interviews with more than 200 women. With humor and grace the piece celebrates women’s’ sexuality and strength.

Today, V-Day is a global movement that supports antiviolence organizations throughout the world, helping them to continue and expand their core work on the ground, while drawing public attention to the larger fight to stop worldwide violence (including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM), sexual slavery) against women and girls. V-Day exists for no other reason than to stop violence against women.

Victim/Witness Services for Coconino County hosted The Vagina Monologues 2010 at the Orpheum Theatre on April 9, 2010. It was a great success! Victim/Witness Services thanks the production team, cast, volunteers, and community for their generous support. Twenty women gave their time, energy, and talent in this production. Special thanks to the V-Day Director, Dr. Nancy Wonders, her assistant, Patty Petelin, and Theatrikos Theatre Company.

Thank you to the following:

Jenny Baker, Kacie Lynne Beagen, Dina Barnese, Annika Boulet, Blake Brady, Andrea Brown, Virginia Brown, Sonya Burkhalter, Chelsea Lee Byers, Phil Byrum, Maria Divina Cain, Robin Craig, Angela Cooper, Amy Couch, Melody Delmar, Sheryl Doolittle, Myra Ferrel, Ana Flores, Christine Fredericks, Debbie Fresquez, Nola Frost, Kayla Garfield, Kathryn Hall, Joanna Hale, Jayne Lee, Iva Manduscheva, Rebecca Maust, Ashly Masoner, Leah Beth Norris, Kayla Kort, Kathy McKeiver, Stephen Mossman, Desiree Otero, Lauralee Parsons, Kristine Pavlik, Patty Peteliln, Jess Del Quadro, Kathi Raley, Emily Schlegel, Candace Schmid, Ashley Silverston, Paula Smith, Linda Sutera, Tina Sutton, Ruth Norris Thomas, Amita Welles, Deeda Williams, Rose Wilson, Stephanie Wilson, Nancy Wonders, Jennifer Wytaske, and Melissa Yates.

You were all AMAZING!

Thank You Volunteers!

This last quarter, VWS volunteers gave over 2,404 hours. A special thanks to our two Fall 2010 interns, Amy Couch and Kayla Kort. They have been a tremendous help to our team. Both graduate in May and we wish them well!

On behalf of Victim/Witness Services, thank you to all our volunteers for the great work that you do to strengthen our communities. You are helping to make our world a better place. Again, a very special thanks to all of our wonderful volunteers!

Community Partner Award

Victim/Witness Services for Coconino County is the proud recipient of the NAU Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice Community Partner Award 2010. This award is given each year to recognize an organization or agency that has provided signifi cant collaboration, support and/or service to students and faculty and initiatives within the Department. Through this award, the Department acknowledges the importance of our agency contributions to their educational mission and commitment to justice.

This is one of the many partnerships that we depend on for the day-to-day success of our programs and on a broader scale, in delivering education and advocacy for victims rights in the community.

"Children of Courage" Healing Run/Walk

Date: Friday, May 14, 2010 Time line: 5:00 p.m., time of gathering at the Ramada 6:00 p.m., run/walk the two mile loop together - move forward! Location: Buffalo Park, Flagstaff.

The purpose of this run is to honor the courage, strength, and resilience of children who have survived domestic violence. The opportunity to run together creates a space for healing and support; it provides a hopeful message. The event is free and open to the community. Please wear GREEN, the color of growth and new life! For more information, visit www. gotrcoconino.org

How You Can Help

Public and private entities across the country are struggling fi nancially. Victim/Witness Services for Coconino County has not been immune to the challenge of continuing to provide quality service when needs are increasing and fi nancial resources are shrinking. We invite you to help victims of crime in our community. Please consider helping in the following ways:

• Donations of used cell phones
• Make a monetary donation to Victim/Witness
• Volunteer as a crisis responder or by providing in- offi ce support
• Support our fund raising events by offering sponsorships, by purchasing tickets, or by donating raffl e and auction items.
• Donate gift cards for emergency assistance (food, gas, shelter)
• Offer sponsorships for staff trainining Thank you for your continued, generous, support

Mission

Victim/Witness Services offers compassionate support and resources to victims, witnesses and survivors of crime and crisis.

Values

Commitment – We recognize commitment as the foundation to providing compassionate support by honoring our obligations to our clients, each other and our community.

Education – We value education as a tool to foster selfconfi dence in our clients and their ability to utilize their rights and resources.

Trust – We recognize trust as a key component in instilling confi dence and encouraging our clients to regain their personal strength.