Domestic Violence

Are you being abused?

Does your partner...

• Call you names?
• Threaten to take the kids away?
• Push or shove you?
• Hit or punch you?
• Try to scare you by destroying your property or using threatening behavior?
• Threaten to hurt the ones you love?
• Try to keep you from your family or friends?
• Get angry when you are not home at a designated time or has to be with you at all times?
• Force you to be intimate or do things you are not comfortable with?
• Constantly accuse you of flirting or act extremely jealous?

Ways you can help

• Educate yourself
• Believe them
• Listen to them
• Respect their confidentiality
• Let them make their own decisions
• Encourage them to develop a safety plan
• Encourage them to take threats seriously
• Be patient
• Be there for them but be careful
• Encourage them to seek help

Answering "yes" to any of the above statements may mean that you are in an abusive relationship.

Abusive relationships have a tendency to continue without outside intervention which leaves the opportunity for things to get worse.

Seeking help from your local domestic violence program can increase the success of the relationship overcoming these obstacles.

No One Chooses to Become a Victim of Crime!

Yet unfortunately, everyday thousands of people from every walk of life do through no fault of their own. Crime does not discriminate based on race, sex, income, marital or relationship status, religion, age or sexual orientation. Anyone can  become a victim of crime.

Victims, witnesses, and their family members can experience a range of physical and emotional reactions to the crime:

Changes in appetite Mood Swings Muscle tension or fatigue Nightmares or intrusive flashbacks of the event Increased substance use/abuse Fear, Anxiety, Depression & Grief Misplaced anger, blame or guilt Inability to concentrate Forgetfulness Hyper-alertness or Hyper-sensitivity

Questioning faith in God or a Creator Avoidance of people, places, things or situations that are reminders of the incident Loss of memory for parts of even the entirety of the incident-Memories of the incident may return in disconnected bits & pieces unexpectedly Inability to express thoughts or feelings adequately Inability to express the sequence of events correctly Feelings of being overwhelmed and/or feeling numb or detached

These reactions and others can appear within minutes or hours of the crime or may take weeks or months to develop. They may come and go in intensity and frequency and may appear in isolation or in combination with other reactions. How long they last can depend on many things including: the importance of the crime to the individual, physical injuries, family and community support for the victim, prior victimizations, length, severity and frequency of this and prior incidents, assistance and care received after the crime, the victim's belief that justice was served and many other factors.

 Just remember there is no "correct" way to react to becoming a crime victim or witness, nor is there a timeline for restoring a sense of "normalcy" to life. Each individual will react in their own way and heal in their own time. Help for working through the aftermath of the crime is available.

Family Violence

Family violence/abuse is a pattern of behaviors used to control another person. Abuse can be either emotional, physical, or sexual. Battering can be a punch, hit, kick or a sever beating that sometimes results in death. Battering can be done by anyone including strangers, boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, wives, lovers and other relatives.

Sexual Assault

Sexual assault can be defined as ANY forced sexual contact: an incident that involves sexual contact is forced on someone. Sexual assault or rape is very little to do with sex, rather it's a crime of power and  control where sex is the weapon used against an individual.

Stalking

Stalking is a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear. A stalker does not care what age, gender or race, a stalker is a predator and looking for prey. Stalking is not a joke. It's not romantic. It's not ok. Stop stalking. It's a crime.

Teen Dating Violence

Teen dating violence is about power. Whether through words or actions, the abuse is meant to control or hurt another person. Teen dating violence runs across race, age and gender.

Crime

Crime can impact individuals, families, and communities. Crime can include burglary, identity theft, assault, and gang violence. CRIMES are real and have lasting impact. Police and emergency responders are trained and ready to assist.

 

Tribal Protective Services Program (TPSP)
Tribal Victim Advocacy Services
TPSP Direct Services

Know Your Rights

Crime victims are entitled to the following rights under the Victims of Crime Act:

• Right to due process
• Right to be treated with fairness, dignity, and respect
• Right to have your privacy protected
• Right to notified of court proceedings
• Right to be heard
• Right to reasonable protection from the alleged offender
• Right to restitution
• Right to information and referral Right to apply for victim compensation
• Right to proceedings free from unreasonable delay
• Right to confer with the prosecutor on criminal charges against the alleged offender
• Right to copy of presenter report and transcripts
• Right to standing and remedies Right to access immediate safety and emergency shelter
• Right to apply for supportive services

Tribal Protective Services Program (TPSP)

TPSP is a program designed to provide safety, mobile advocacy, and supportive services for victims of crime to the TCC Region. TPSP also provides training and technical support to Tribes and Rural Victim Advocates in the TCC Region. 

Who does TPSP serve? 
Victim(s) of crime (VOC). A victim of crime, is a term used for grant purposes, and TPSP encourages clients to identify by whatever term they are comfortable with (i.e. survivor, overcomer, warrior, victim, client, beneficiary). VOC is any gender of person who has been victimized by a traumatizing crime, that may include: 

Physical Assault Victims Adult Sexual Assault Abused As A Child\ Arson Victims Bullying Victims Burglary/ Robbery Victims Child Abuse Victims Child Pornography Victims Teen Dating Violence Child Sexual Abuse Domestic/Family Violence DUI Incident Victim

Elder Abuse Hate Crime Victim Human Trafficking Theft Victims Identity Theft Victims Kidnapping Mass Violence Victim Vehicular Victimization Stalking Harassment Survivors of Homicide

Tribal Victim Advocacy Services

TCC's TPSP houses both Rural and Fairbanks victim advocates. Tribal Victim Advocates provide immediate and long term support to victims and their families. It's important that the victim/family is connected to an advocate as soon as possible to assure the victim's needs are met. 
These include but are not limited to: 

Safety Planning (Top Priority)
Create safety plans, provide emergency shelter and/or transitional housing.

Crisis Intervention
Immediate support for emotional and physical needs/safety. During closed hours please call first responders for immediate assistance.

Case Management
Provides immediate and long term support to victims of crime and their families.

Mobile Advocacy
A source to help victims navigate through the criminal justice system.

Financial Planning
Determine needs and options for Direct Services and Shelter/Housing Assistance with completing Crime Victims Compensation application.

Outreach & Education
Provides training to Tribal communities and/or other partnered organizations to help bring education about victimization, trauma, and healing, as well as dynamics of power and control.

Court Related Services
Liaison with Court & Law Enforcement. The advocate can be used as a source to help VOC navigate through the court system including but not limited to: transportation and accompaniment to court, information about legal resources/referrals, and assistance with filling out restraining/stalking/protection orders.

TPSP Direct Services

TSPS has a coordinate system of care that assists clients. The priority is to empower victims in overcoming their traumas, healing, and reclaiming their lives through a holistic, victim ­centered program. Services are determined through case planning, and vary based on client's needs. 
Examples of services include but are not limited to:

Emergency Shelter Services/ Relocation Services 
TPSP may be able to assist VOC in immediate danger with emergency shelter, until relocation or safety plan is developed. Other options vary on approval.

Transportation Services

Medical/Mental Health Services
TPSP may cover program referred medical and/or mental health service costs that insurance won't cover.

Transitional Housing
Short-term housing assistance, including rental or utility payment assistance and assistance with related expenses such as payment of security deposits and other costs incidental to relocation to transitional housing.

Voluntary Victim Support Services
Recipients of TPSP case management may be provided additional support services after the immediate safety incident including but not limited to: counseling, family/group counseling, traditional healing activities/ programs, childcare and/or respite assistance for Elder needing supervision due to relocation/offender was care provider, and costs associated with life skills/ educational job training, costs associated with repair or replacement of property broken during a crime, such as broken doors, windows, or locks, costs associated with legal assistance in civil proceedings related to the crime.

Burial Services
Funeral or Burial expenses for victims of homicide or murder include transportation of the body, the funeral and other related expenses.

 

 

 

Checklist

What you need to take when you leave

Identification

• Driver's License
• Birth Certificate
• Children's birth certificate
• Social Security Cards

Financial

• Money and/or credit cards (in your name)
• Checking and savings account books

Legal Papers

• Protective order
• Lease, rental agreement & house deed
• Car registration and insurance papers
• Health and life insurance papers
• Medical records for you & your children
• School records
• Passport
• Divorce and custody papers
• Marriage License

Other

• Medications
• House and car keys
• Valuable jewelry
• Address book
• Pictures and sentimental items
• Change of clothes for you & your children

You have the right to be safe!

No one deserves to be hit or threatened. If you are being hurt by someone you love, consider making plans to help keep yourself and your children safe. Here are some suggestions that have helped other people in situations like yours. 

Safety during an explosive incident

• Practice getting out of your home safely. Identify which doors, windows, elevator or stairwell to use.
• Pack a bag and have it ready at a friend's or relative's house.
• Identify one or more neighbors you can tell about the violence, and ask them to call the police if they hear a disturbance coming from your home.
• Devise a code word to use with your children, family, friends and neighbors when you need the police.
• Decide and plan where you will go if you ever have to leave home.
• Use your instincts and judgment. In some dangerous situations, it may be safest to give the abuser what they want to calm them down.

Safety when preparing to leave

• Open a checking or savings account in your own name.
• Leave money, an extra set of keys, copies of important documents and extra clothes and medications in a safe place or with someone you trust.
• Open your own post office box.
• Identify a safe place where you can go and someone who can lend you money.
• Always keep the shelter phone number, a calling card or some change for emergency phone calls with you.
• If you have pets, make arrangements for them to be cared for in a safe place.
• f you or your children have been threatened or assaulted, you can request a protective order from the Tribal//County Court
• Always keep your protective order with you.
• Call the police if your partner violates the protective order.
• Inform family members, friends and neighbors that you have a protective order in effect.
• Think of alternative ways to keep safe if the police do not respond immediately.

Safety in your own residence

• If you stay in your home, lock your windows and change the locks on your doors as soon as possible.
• Develop a safety plan with your children for times when you are not with them.
• Inform your children's school, day care, etc. about who has permission to pick up your children. Inform neighbors and the landlord that your partner no longer lives with you, and that they should call the police if they see him/her near your home.
• Never tell the abuser where you live. Never call the abuser from your home because the abuser may find out where you live.
• Request an unlisted/unpublished number from the telephone company

Safety on the job and in public

• Inform someone at work of your situation. Include the security officers at work and provide them with a picture of your partner.
• Have someone screen your telephone calls at work.
• Have someone escort you to and from your car, bus or train.
• Use a variety of routes to come and go from home. 

Remember: You are the expert of your situation. Use these tips only if you feel safe doing so.