Victims’ Voice Victims’ Voice NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER Volume #2 | Issue #1 | Montana Department of Corrections Victim Services

ANNOUNCEMENT INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Remember, April is a busy month for awareness. It is Crime Victim Rights Week, Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, and VIP Speaker Recognition 2 National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Why do we need a month to recognize these issues? Crime Victims’ Rights Week 3 Montana really is a small community. Circumstances that create crime victim survivors, sexual assault survivors, and child abuse Jane Doe No More 4 and neglect survivors aren’t events that only happen to other peo- ple, in diferent cities and towns. Instead, these survivors are our neighbors and members of our community. In April, we honor the Victim Shaming Myths 4 right to safe, protected communities. From the DOC’s team of vic- tim liaisons to survivors and those individuals who serve and pro- Ask a Sex Abuse Survivor 4 tect them – thank you. Please enjoy this issue of the Victims’ Voice newsletter. We wel- Child Abuse Prevention 5 come any feedback, content suggestions, and ideas for future pub- lications. Send those to [email protected]. Upcoming Events & How to Contact Us 6

Volume #2 | Issue #1 | Montana Department of Corrections Victim Services

VICTIM IMPACT PANEL “ (Offenders) are people in my world….my community. My world SPEAKER OF THE QUARTER does better if they do better.”

She was on probaton already. The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services took her daughter away from her on the spot. It was an incredibly difcult decision for me, but was the right decision. She wrote me a leter about having seen me and how she was ashamed of herself. She was a part of the next panel I did at Elkhorn and it was great for both of us. She thanked me for what I did and how I cared for her daughter and pledged her focus on remaining clean and getng her daughter back. Another situaton like this happened just last month. I went to get my hair cut. She told me she was an ofender on my panel that day and that she was out, clean, and was now the manager of the hair salon. She said my talk really hit her hard and helped her successfully complete the program. She said she didn't want to go backwards. I told her how proud of her I was and how she made my day. She was very kind and complimentary and gave me a great haircut! What encourages you to keep speaking? Truthfully, the kids I work with that have incarcerated CRAIG CRAWFORD parents. I want ofenders to know the impact they have on their children by being incarcerated and how much it Home Base: Helena, MT impacts the entre educatonal system. I want them to fully appreciate the ripples of their crimes and be able to Years Speaking: 7+ look at their victms in a diferent and more empathetc way. And the ofenders. These are people in my Crime Victimization: The elementary school, where I world….my community. My world does beter if they do was principal, was robbed by three kids high on meth on beter. a Saturday night. They stole more than just electronics. How has speaking helped you? They stole trust, safety, and security.

I am a victm of extreme abuse from a drug addict older

What do you want other victims of crime and sibling as I grew up. My educatonal career is built on not victim service providers to know about VIP? having bullies in my schools. I fght for kids. The panels have helped me release the guilt I felt about this crime It makes a diference –both for victms and the ofenders happening at my school and the impacts upon my staf, we get to talk to. I believe each of us “owns” our stories kids, and families. It has also helped me let go of the more and more each tme we give a talk. It’s therapeutc anger toward my brother for the years of violent abuse I for victms and the ofenders to own their crimes a litle endured. more each tme. I believe these panels help the ofenders grow and lessen their chances of recidivism. I have also started a consultng/public speaking business, focusedconsultng.biz. Each tme I get to speak, it helps What is a favorite memory of VIP thus far? me hone my abilites. I think if you can get comfy I did a talk at Elkhorn Treatment Center one tme. As I speaking in front of ofenders, you can speak to any walked in, one of the residents, not on the panel of group. I’ve started writng a book about victmizaton and ofenders I was addressing, recognized me. She had been ripple efects. These panels have helped me have the one of the parents in my elementary school. I had her confdence that it is a book that needs to be writen. arrested in the lobby of the school when she came to the school high on meth and wanted to pick up her daughter. Thank you, Craig!

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WHAT RIGHTS DO CRIME VICTIMS HAVE IN MONTANA?

MONTANA LEGAL SERVICES | 1-800-666-6899 | WWW.MTLSA.ORG

History: The frst Crime Victms Week (later renamed Natonal Crime Victms' Rights Week) was established by Ronald Reagan in 1981 as a part of an expanding initatve to provide for victms of crimes (later manifested in Executve Order 12360, signed in 1982, which established the President's Task Force on Victms of Crime).

Crime Victims’ Rights Week is a perfect time to reflect the following rights: Right to Information and Notification

 Ask your Law Enforcement agency for a Victms’ Rights packet  You have a right to obtain contact informaton for the investgaton ofcer and the prosecutng atorney. You may obtain certain documents related to the investgaton of the crime. You have a right to one free copy of public documents in the court fle.  You have a right to be notfed of arrests, the release of the accused, any charges fled, the tme and place of hearings, plea negotatons, and informaton on sentencing. The DOC Victim Services team

Right to Confidentiality works to educate victims about  You can request the address, phone number, workplace of you and your family be kept their rights throughout the confdental. If the crime was a sex ofense, your identty cannot be disclosed. Right to Fair Treatment criminal justice process. We  Victms and their families cannot be fred for partcipatng in criminal proceedings. You strive to support victims, build can get help notfying school, work, or creditors about your situaton.  You have the right to have an advocate present during interviews. trust, and engage communities

Right to be Present to honor and assist victims of  You and your family cannot be excluded from court hearings, with a few exceptons.

Right to Consultation with Prosecuting Attorney crimes.  The prosecutor must consult with you about certain parts of the case.

Right to be Heard  You can tell your story and give your opinion about the ofender’s sentence. If your rights are being violated, call Right to Restitution Montana Legal Services at 1-800-666-  You can recover money from a convicted ofender for damages such as medical bills, damaged property, and lost wages. 6899 or visit www.mtlsa.org

Safety  You can apply for a protectve order to keep the ofender away from you and your family.

18 U.S. Code § 3771 - Crime victms’ rights MCA 46-Chapter 21: Treatment of Victms and Witnesses

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Sexual Assault Awareness Month

ASK A SEX ABUSE SURVIVOR VICTIM-SHAMING MYTHS In his interactve show, Ask a Sex Abuse Survivor, childhood sexual abuse survivor, Michael Broussard, shares the story of the abuse he sufered as a Myth 1: “You are not a victm! Get out of a victm mindset.” child and of his path to healing as an adult. Along the way, he also invites • You have been a victm, and that is a fact, not a audience members to ask questons, make observatons, and share their manufactured identty. There is no shame in being a victm own stories. Ask a Sex Abuse Survivor is Michael’s way of taking back the and it does not take away our ability to realize we are one or power from his abuser and reaching out to his fellow survivors to tell have been one. We can be both victms and survivors. We can them they can do the same. make steps toward recovery even while acknowledging and honoring the adversity we have endured. Email: [email protected] | Website: htp://sexabusesurvivor.com/ Myth 2: “ You must forgive an abuser in order to heal. Don’t be biter or angry.” • Forgiveness is a personal journey and skilled trauma therapists understand that forcing premature forgiveness, especially before traumas are processed, can actually hinder the healing journey. AUTHOR: BARBIE JENKINS Myth 3: “Abusers just need love, understanding and more hugs.” • While we’d all love to live in a world where everyone is Jane Doe No More (JDNM) is a survivor led organizaton launched in 2007 in Connectcut that empowers survivors to share their stories, advance capable of change so long as we give them a chance, this their healing and educate the public about the complexites of sexual belief completely dismisses the reality of predators who never assault. change their ways and actually further exploit us when we contnue to let them back in our lives tme and tme again. Founder Donna Palomba was the victm of an in home invasion which resulted in a brutal rape and further re-traumatzaton by her local police Myth 4: “What about the abuser? They had it so rough! We are department. Her experience is the platorm on which JDNM was built. all interconnected, so we have to help each other.” JDNM ofers the Safe Student Initatve educatng students from middle • Regardless of someone’s childhood upbringing, abuse is never school to college through age-appropriate, survivor-led interactve justfed. Remember: there are many victms who have also programs including safe and unsafe touch, sexual respect, healthy relatonships, consent, bystander interventon and rape culture. JDNM's had rough childhoods, past traumas and self-esteem issues, video, “Duty Trumps Doubt,” changes perspectves through our trauma- but never used that as an excuse to abuse another person. informed video and survivor-led presentatons. These are specifcally Myth 5: “Everything is a mirror. Send positve energy to this designed to help law enforcement, medical personnel, legal professionals person and situaton and it will be refected back to you!” and society have a beter understanding about the devastatng efects sexual crimes have on victms. • When spirituality is misused to blame ourselves, free abusers from accountability and repress our emotons, it can become Barb Jenkins is a trained NW Regional Survivor Speak representatve and dangerous to our mental health. It’s far more healthy responsible for bringing this dynamic program to MT. This organizaton is to process your trauma with a trained professional before a valuable asset to give more survivors a platorm to heal by using their voices to afect change in this sensitve arena. Presentatons can be either even thinking about sending love and positvity to anyone who has violated you. in person or virtual.

Please visit www.janedoenomore.org for more informaton. htps://themighty.com/2019/07/victm-shaming-myths-trauma/

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WHAT IS CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT?

Child abuse isn’t just about black eyes. While physical abuse is shocking due to the marks it leaves, not all signs of child abuse are as obvious. Ignoring a child’s needs, putng them in unsupervised, dangerous situatons, exposing them to sexual situatons, or making them feel worthless or stupid are also forms of child abuse and neglect—and they can leave deep, lastng scars on kids.

Regardless of the type of abuse, the result is serious emotonal harm. But there is help available. If you suspect a child is sufering from abuse or neglect, it’s important to speak out. By identfying the problem as early as possible, both the child and the abuser can get the help they need.

HOW TO HELP AN ABUSED OR WARNING SIGNS NEGLECTED CHILD Emotonal Abuse: ● Be excessively withdrawn, fearful, or anxious about doing some- Avoid denial and remain calm. A common reacton to news as thing wrong unpleasant and shocking as child abuse is denial. However, if you ● Show extremes in behavior display denial to a child, or show shock or disgust at what they are ● Not seem to be atached to the parent or caregiver saying, the child may be afraid to contnue and will shut down. As

Physical Abuse: hard as it may be, remain as calm and reassuring as you can. ● Be always watchful and “on alert,” as if waitng for something Let the child explain to you in their own words bad to happen Don’t interrogate. ● Shy away from touch, finch at sudden movements, or seem what happened, but don’t interrogate the child or ask leading afraid to go home questons. This may confuse and fuster the child and make it ● Wear inappropriate clothing to cover up injuries harder for them to contnue their story.

Child Neglect: Reassure the child that they did nothing wrong. It takes a lot ● Wear ill-ftng, flthy, or inappropriate clothing for the weather for a child to come forward about abuse. Reassure them that you ● Have consistently bad hygiene ● Be frequently unsupervised or lef alone or allowed to play in unsafe take what they said seriously, and that situatons it is not their fault.

Sexual Abuse: Safety comes frst. If you feel that ● Have trouble walking or sitng your safety or the safety of the child ● Display knowledge of sexual acts inap- would be threatened if you tried to propriate for their age, or even exhibit intervene, leave it to the professionals. seductve behavior ● Make strong eforts to avoid a specifc You may be able to provide more person, without an obvious reasons support later. ● Not want to change clothes in front of

others or partcipate in physical actvi- tes Call 911 or local law enforcement if ● Try to run away from home you suspect child abuse or neglect or have immediate concerns.

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“Awareness is the greatest agent for change.” - Eckhart Tolle

Empty Place at the Table

Statewide Weekly Education Hour Montana State Capitol April 5-6, 2021 Every Tuesday 9:30-10:30a.m. April DOC Victm Services will be displaying an exhibit in the Capitol Rotunda on April 5 & 6, 2021, during the legislatve session. The April 6: Missoula Prosecutor & Special Victims Counsel exhibit is called “Empty Place at the Table” also known as April 13: Sexual Assault Survivor: Jane Do No More “Saving a Place at the Table” and will feature place setngs in April 20: Group Facilitation and Management honor of those afected by crime in Montana.

April 27: Importance of Early Disclosure– Sexual Assault Survivor Anyone is welcome to visit the exhibit! The Friendship Center is also hosting events the month of April: https://www.thefriendshipcenter.org/ May May 4: Understanding Sex Ofender Treatment May 11: Factors that Increase/Decrease Trauma May 18: Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) HOW TO CONTACT US May 25: Dan Murphy Our victim program ofice hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (MT) June Monday through Friday except state and federal holidays. June 1: The Stages of Group Dynamics: Dave Garcia It is our practice to return calls within 48 hours. Please leave a voicemail including your name, number, and any pertinent June 8: Prison Paws: Montana Women’s Prison: Jen Severud information you can provide. June 15: Passages Culinary Arts Program (CAP) June 29: VA Domestic Violence Services Address: 5 S. Last Chance Gulch For a schedule of the weekly speakers, please email CORVictim- Helena, MT 59601 [email protected] or visit www.cor.mt.gov/victims P.O. Box 201301

Join Microsof Teams Meeting Helpline: (406) 444-0447 or +1 406-318-5487 United States, Billings (Toll) Conference ID: 108 988 550# Toll Free (888) 223-6332

*Subject to change* Fax: (406) 444-4920

Website: https://cor.mt.gov/victims Child Abuse Prevention Month Email: [email protected] Sexual Assault Awareness Month National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (April 18-24) Montana National Guard Fair (April 21) Facebook:

Mental Health Awareness Month https://www.facebook.com/MTDeptCorrections/ YouTube:

National Safety Month https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGfBlY9Dcf- LGBTQ Pride Month 3hfWqfqnu4wi274Tcpxeyw

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