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"Working with Victims with Disabilities

Highlighting Promising Practices
One of the sections of the greater document: "Working with Victims with Disabilities, an OVC Bulletin", by Cheryl Guidry Tyiska, NOVA

In preparation for the Symposium, NOVA staff identified victim assistance programs that were making inroads in reaching out to crime victims with disabilities, as well as pertinent training materials. NOVA is continuing to seek information about effective programs and training materials that focus on serving crime victims with disabilities. The following are organizations which were highlighted at the Symposium, as well as a few from programs who were unable to have a representative present.

1. The Domestic Violence Initiative for Women With Disabilities was founded to create, promote, and support viable alternatives for women with disabilities who are victims/survivors of domestic violence and/or caretaker abuse. This program also serves those who have become disabled as a result of domestic abuse. DVI provides extensive education and training to relevant service providers and the public about domestic violence and disability issues. For more information, call 303-839-5510 voice/TDD (Denver, CO).

2. The Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault Developmental Disabilities Resource Center operates a sexual abuse prevention and information program for persons with disabilities. For more information, call 816-931-4527 (Kansas City, MO).

3. The Network of Victim Assistance has produced a training curriculum and video entitled "Your Safety, Your Rights," which highlights personal safety and abuse prevention information for adults with disabilities and for service providers. For more information, call 215-348-5664 (Doylestown, PA).

4. Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Services (ADWAS) is a program of advocacy and services specifically for Deaf, Deaf-Blind, and Hard-of-Hearing victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Services include a 24-hour crisis line and safe homes for battered women. ADWAS was developed and is administered by Marilyn Smith, a sexual assault survivor who is Deaf. In 1996, Ms. Smith received the Crime Victim Service Award, the highest Federal award for service to victims. For more information, call 206-726-0093 (TTY only) or email to hilsmjs@aol.com (Seattle, WA).

5. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office and Crime Victim Initiative have spearheaded development of a training program entitled "Police and People with Disabilities," focusing on the important role of law enforcement in serving crime victims with disabilities. For more information, call 800-279-8284 (Minneapolis, MN).

6. The Victim Services Unit of the Ventura County District Attorney's Office has a history of seeking out under served victim groups in the county. Their program which serves crime victims with disabilities is one of several unique services they provide. For more information, call 805-654-2500 (Ventura, CA).

7. Victim Services 2000, a demonstration project funded by OVC to showcase a comprehensive, seamless model of victim assistance, has worked closely with disability rights specialists in the community to provide training to local victim service providers on how to best serve crime victims with disabilities. For more information, call 303-640-4933 (Denver, CO).

8. Victim Assistance to Deaf Adults and Children (VADAC). The Department of Public Safety in South Carolina awarded VOCA funding to the State Department of Mental Health Services to deliver comprehensive victim assistance to Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing crime victims in fifteen counties in upstate South Carolina. Most services are provided in the home by case managers who are fluent in American Sign Language. Services include interpreting, case management, crisis counseling, therapy, victim rights information, and information about other available services. For more information, call 864-297-5044 or 864-297-5130 (TTY) (State of South Carolina).

9. Domestic Violence Access Project In the State of Hawaii, the Department of the Attorney General has awarded Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) grant funding to a statewide project that is developing linkages between domestic violence programs and service providers working with women with disabilities. The project provides specialized equipment to aid in providing services, as well as training for disability service providers on the nature of domestic violence and how to recognize it, how to elicit necessary information from victims and how to access available services. The development of partnerships and protocols for collaborative efforts should result in better services for domestic violence victims with disabilities. For more information, call 808-534-0040 (State of Hawaii).

10. Barrier Free Living, Inc., (BFLI) has been working with family violence victims with disabilities for the past 10 years, and has recently expanded its program to include a hotline for victims with disabilities. In 1986, BFLI received a national award from the National Safety Council for Improving the Lives of People With Disabilities. A report entitled Domestic Violence and Women and Children with Disabilities by BFLI Executive Director Paul Feuerstein provides an excellent overview of the problems of women and children with disabilities. For more information, call 212-677-6668 (New York, NY).

11. Advocacy for Women and Kids in Emergencies (AWAKE) is a program for battered women who are recovering from substance abuse, as well as battered women with physical and cognitive disabilities. Services are offered in a local hospital, community health center, and a public housing project. The available counseling, educational, and advocacy services focus on the development of self-esteem, parenting skills, healing and self-discovery, and ultimately, for a future based on sobriety. For more information, call 617-355-4760 (Boston, MA).

12. Back to Life is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for people with disabilities to participate fully and safely in their communities. The organization provides training and technical assistance to crime victims with disabilities and to the practitioners who work with these victims. For more information, call 512-255-1465, Fax 512-255-1746, or email: btl@inetport.com (Austin, TX).

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