Starting October 1st, Domestic Violence Awareness Month started across the country. Beginning in 1987, #DVAM has celebrated over 30 years of hope, education, and advocacy. This year, the Domestic Violence Awareness Project has started a campaign geared toward the overall goal of social change.
Awareness is the key to understanding how we can take Action against Domestic Violence, so that Change can truly take hold! All it takes is #1thing to start making a difference today!
Stay tuned for more #DVAM topics throughout the month of October!
415 Colorado Avenue, La Junta, CO 81050 24 Hour Hotline: (719) 384-7764 TTY: (719) 384-1938 After Hours Colorado Relay dial 711 or 1-800-659-2656
AVRC is non-discriminatory agency regarding race, religion, color, gender, country of national origin, sexual orientation, mental health status, substance use or economic condition.
July 30th is World Day against Trafficking in Persons, and in acknowledgement of this, the following is a look at the crime of human trafficking, examined on a global, state, and local level. Human trafficking is not just something that happens “elsewhere” and to “other people”. It is a very real issue, not just globally, but in the state of Colorado and as close as Rocky Ford.
Human trafficking is the second largest criminal industry in the world. As of 2011, it is estimated that 10-30 million modern day slaves exist, of whom are victims of human trafficking. There are multiple types of trafficking, including forced labor trafficking and sex trafficking. Forced labor industries include agricultural, traveling sales crews, and health and beauty services; sex trafficking involves forced prostitution and sex slavery. Trafficking victims come from all walks of life, including men, women, and children, and can be just as likely to be US citizens as foreign nationals.
In the state of Colorado, there have been several documented cases of both sex and labor trafficking ranging from as far north as Larimer County and Weld County, with the highest concentration of cases happening through the i-25 corridor. The state has also seen landmark cases, specifically a case wherein the offender received the highest recorded charge in relation to human trafficking in US history. Per the Colorado Network to End Human Trafficking (CoNEHT), Otero County residents have made 3 calls to their hotline within 3 years; CoNEHT also documented 16 calls from Pueblo County and 149 from El Paso County within that same three-year time frame. The March 2018 Edition of the Colorado Anti-Trafficking Insider Newsletter details a case of labor trafficking that occurred in Rocky Ford, and highlights how isolated, manipulated, and scared victims of trafficking can feel.
Some of the red flags indicating human trafficking can include:
Unusual work or living conditions, such as being unpaid or severely underpaid for work, working in the commercial sex industry and having a pimp/manager, working excessively long and/or unusual hours, or high security measures in the work and/or living locations (e.g. opaque windows, boarded up windows, bars on windows, barbed wire, security cameras, etc.).
Poor Mental Health or Abnormal Behavior, including fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, or nervous/paranoid behaviors, and exhibiting unusually fearful or anxious behavior after bringing up law enforcement
Poor Physical Health, such as lack of medical care and/or being denied medical services by employer, appearing malnourished or showing signs of repeated exposure to harmful chemicals, and showing signs of physical and/or sexual abuse, physical restraint, confinement, or torture.
Geographic Disorientation, such as making claims of just visiting and inability to clarify where he/she is staying/address, a lack of knowledge of whereabouts and/or of what city he/she is in, and loss of sense of time.
Other patterns to be aware of are if the employer is withholding important documents from the victim (visas, ID’s, birth certificates, social security cards, passports, etc.), that the employer may have made threats of harm to the victim or their family and friends or threats of deportation, and if there is a forced debt to the employer that is not being paid off or is continuously being added to. These are all tactics to coerce and control the victim, making it harder to escape the situation.
If you suspect that you know someone who is a victim of human trafficking, there are multiple ways to report this:
Contact local law enforcement, or call 911 if there is an emergency.
Colorado Human Trafficking Hotline 1-866-455-5075
National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-3737-888 (Multi-Lingual)
If you want more information regarding human trafficking, feel free to contact AVRC Staff, who are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
415 Colorado Avenue, La Junta, CO 81050 24-hour Hotline: (719) 384-7764 TTY: (719) 384-1938 After Hours Colorado Relay dial 711 or 1-800-659-2656
The Staff at the Arkansas Valley Resource Center (AVRC) strive to provide the best services for all victims of violent crime. Navigating one’s thoughts and emotions in the wake of violent crime can be difficult, and for a child, it may be that much more of a challenge to understand what they are experiencing. With that in mind, AVRC offers a counseling program for children that focuses on various elements to help a child survivor potentially move forward in their recovery from their victimization. The AVRC Children’s Counseling Program is based on set curriculum that is divided in to age groups, starting at 5 years old. The curriculum focuses on various topics, including self esteem, choices, and anger, to help children better understand their situation. Counseling can be completed with an individual child, with a sibling group, or with groups of children from multiple families, depending on the circumstances and needs of each case. As with AVRC’s Peer and Group Counseling, or any other services AVRC offers, there is no charge for the Children’s Counseling Program. If the needs of an individual in counseling with AVRC are not being met, or if it is identified that there are mental health issues that may need to be addressed, AVRC Staff can provide appropriate referrals to potentially meet these needs.
If you, or someone you may know, is seeking more information on AVRC’s services, including the Children’s Counseling Program, feel free to contact AVRC Staff!
415 Colorado Avenue, La Junta, CO 81050 24-hour Hotline: (719) 384-7764 TTY: (719) 384-1938 After Hours Colorado Relay dial 711 or 1-800-659-2656
AVRC is non-discriminatory agency regarding race, religion, color, gender, country of national origin, sexual orientation or economic condition.
Stalking is often depicted in popular media by a hooded stranger creeping in the shadows, following their victims at a distance, always watching them. In reality, stalking takes on many forms, and sometimes occurs without the offender ever having to leave their home. With the rise in social media, methods of stalking have become even more advanced, and it is that much more important to understand the elements of stalking, and the potential lethality of the overall behavior.
Stalking Laws
Stalking is considered a felony upon first offense in the state of Colorado.
Colorado Law, or “Vonnie’s Law,” defines stalking as: 1) a credible threat, and/or 2) repeated behavior, that reasonably causes someone to be afraid or suffer serious emotional distress.
“Vonnie’s Law” further states that stalking behaviors are identified as following, approaching, putting under surveillance, communicating with or making threats to or regarding the individual, friends or immediate family of the individual, and other repeated patterns or contacts that would cause a reasonable person to suffer serious emotional distress and does cause that person to suffer serious emotional distress.
All 50 states have laws against stalking, but less than 1/3 of the states classify stalking as a felony at first offense .
Stalking Statistics
1 in every 6 women and 1 out of every 19 men in the United states have been stalked in their lifetime.
3 out of 4 stalking victims know their stalkers, including family, current or former intimate partners, and acquaintances.
66% of female stalking victims were stalked by a current or former intimate partner.
76% of female homicide victims killed by a current of former intimate partner were stalked by their murderer prior to their death.
Of male stalking victims, 48% reported they were stalked by another male, and 45% by a female.
People aged 18-24 have the highest rates of stalking victimization.
Cyber-Stalking
Cyber-stalking is a form of stalking that utilizes technology to harass, threaten, or follow a person.
Cyber-stalking includes tracking or monitoring a victim’s whereabouts and actions using GPS on their phone or vehicle, and/or through social media; sending threatening messages and images by email, social media, or text; hacking a victim’s personal accounts (including email, social media, and phone) to monitor, harass, or discredit the victim; and posting personal information, such as date of birth, social security number, and phone number on the internet.
The Impact
Stalking victims suffer much higher rates of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and social dysfunction than the general population.
1 in 4 stalking victims contemplated suicide.
37% of stalking victims fulfill the diagnostic criteria for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
86% of stalking victims surveyed reported that their personalities had changed as a result of being stalked.
If you, a friend, or loved one, are the victim of stalking, or would like to know more about the facts of stalking, please know that you aren’t alone, and that help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!
415 Colorado Avenue, La Junta, CO 81050 24 Hour Hotline: (719) 384-7764 TTY: (719) 384-1938 After Hours Colorado Relay dial 711 or 1-800-659-2656
On April 2nd, 2018, the Arkansas Valley Resource Center (AVRC), along with the Mayor & City Council of the city of La Junta, entered a proclamation recognizing April 8th through April 14th, 2018, as National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW). The theme of this year’s NCVRW is:
EXPAND THE CIRCLE. REACH ALL VICTIMS.
Since 1987, AVRC has endeavored to improve and expand our services for victim’s of violent crime in the Arkansas Valley. The best example of this is when, in 1996, AVRC extended their services from female victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuses to include services for all victims of violent crime, including child abuse, burglary, assault, and stalking. To further examine how agencies across the country are answering the call to Expand the Circle, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) released the following video regarding the 2018 NCVRW theme and the mission it stands for.
If you, or someone you know is a victim of violent crime, if you are interested about learning about AVRC’s services, or want to know more about the Victim’s Rights Act for the state of the Colorado, feel free to contact AVRC staff!
415 Colorado Avenue, La Junta, CO 81050 24 Hour Hotline: (719) 384-7764 TTY: (719) 384-1938 After Hours Colorado Relay dial 711 or 1-800-659-2656
AVRC is non-discriminatory agency regarding race, religion, color, gender, country of national origin, sexual orientation or economic condition.
National Crime Victim’s Rights Week (NCVRW) 2018 is fast approaching, and so in honor of that, here are a few facts regarding Victim’s Rights history, both in Colorado and across the nation.
In 1975, the first “Victim’ Rights Week” was organized by the Philadelphia District Attorney.
The National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards is established in 1977 by the existing 22 state victim compensation programs to foster a nationwide network of compensation programs.
Programs including the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NCASA), the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), and Parents Of Murdered Children, Inc. (POMC) were established in 1978.
In 1981, President Ronald Reagan proclaims the first national “Crime Victims’ Week” in April.
The Victim and Witness Protection Act of 1982 brings “fair treatment standards” to victims and witnesses in the federal criminal justice system.
In 1983, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is established by the U.S. Department of Justice within the Office of Justice Programs to implement recommendations from the President’s Task Force on Victims of Crime. OVC establishes a national resource center, trains professionals, and develops model legislation to protect victims’ rights.
The passage of the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) in 1984 established the Crime Victims Fund, made up of federal criminal fines, penalties, and bond forfeitures, to support state victim compensation and local victim assistance programs.
Also in 1984, victim/witness notification system is established within the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
By the end of 1986, 35 states have established victim compensation programs.
In 1988, victims’ rights constitutional amendments are introduced in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, South Carolina, and Washington. Florida’s amendment is placed on the November ballot, where it passes with 90 percent of the vote. Michigan’s amendment passes with more than 80 percent of the vote.
The Victims’ Rights and Restitution Act of 1990 incorporates a Bill of Rights for federal crime victims and codifies services that should be available to victims of crime.
Colorado legislators introduce a victims’ rights constitutional amendment on the first day of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. The bill is unanimously passed by both Houses to be placed on the ballot in 1992.
In 1992, five states—Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, and New Mexico—ratify victims’ rights constitutional amendments.
In 1996, six additional states pass victims’ rights constitutional amendments—the largest number ever in a single year—bringing the total number of states with amendments to 20. States with new amendments include Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Maryland, Ohio, and Utah.
To fully recognize the sovereignty of Indian Nations, OVC for the first time provides victim assistance grants directly to tribes in Indian Country, in 1997.
Victimization rates reported in the National Crime Victimization Survey in 2000 are the lowest recorded since the survey’s creation in 1973.
By the end of 2002, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam have established crime victim compensation programs.
Congress passes and President Bush signs the Justice for All Act of 2004, which provides mechanisms at the federal level to enforce the rights of crime victims, giving victims and prosecutors legal standing to assert victims’ rights, authorizing the filing of writs of mandamus to assert a victim’s right, and requiring the U.S. Attorney General to establish a victims’ rights compliance program within the Department of Justice.
In 2010, President Obama signs the Tribal Law and Order Act, designed to increase Tribal law enforcement agencies’ power to combat crime on reservations and to increase the accountability of federal agencies responsible for public safety in Indian Country. The Act requires federal prosecutors to keep data on criminal cases in Indian Country that they decline to prosecute, and to support prosecutions in Tribal court by sharing evidence.
If you have any questions regarding the Colorado Victims’ Rights Act (VRA), or if you are a victim of violent crime and are unsure of your rights, don’t hesitate to contact the Arkansas Valley Resource Center for info and support!
415 Colorado Avenue, La Junta, CO 81050 24 hour hotline: (719) 384-7764 TTY: (719) 384-1938 After Hours Colorado Relay dial 711 or 1-800-659-2656
AVRC is non-discriminatory agency regarding race, religion, color, gender, country of national origin, sexual orientation or economic condition.
