|
BCIFV home
> Newsletter > 1995
Archives > Winter 1995 articles
Community Coordination of Victim Services in Terrace, B.C.
Terrace is a city in northwest British Columbia with a
population of approximately 20,000. It is a place like many
others where family violence is a problem of diverse proportion,
multiplied due to isolation.
When police and the justice system become involved, Terrace
has in place assistance programs for victims of crime and
people suffering other traumas, including the RCMP based Terrace
Victim Assistance Program (TVAP) and Crown Counsel Victim/Witness
Services (CVWS).
Crown Counsel Victim/Witness Services
When a criminal charge is laid, CVWS will offer support
and information in all cases involving severe physical or
emotional trauma, sexual offenses, fatalities, violence in
relationships and cases involving child or special needs victims/witnesses.
Services provided include information on the Justice System
and its processes as well as case specific information. A
CVWS caseworker will be a liaison between the victim and Crown
Counsel and will provide court orientation when a case goes
to trial. CVWS is a regional office providing services to
many communities in the Northwest from Terrace to Atlin, usually
in conjunction with circuit court. In the past year, CVWS
has traveled in excess of 30,000 km (most of them on gravel
roads) to provide services to people who otherwise would receive
little or no support.
Terrace Victim Assistance Program
TVAP provides services to victims of crime and people suffering
other traumas in the Terrace RCMP Detachment Area. We will
offer immediate emotional support and information in any incidence
of family violence, sexual offenses, break and enters, fatalities,
sudden deaths, fires and traffic accidents. We also provide
information on police and court procedures and progress updates.
The program is also available to provide information on Home
Security and Crime Prevention and to act as a liaison between
the RCMP and the community.
Neither of these two programs provide counselling services,
but we will refer victims to the appropriate community resource
to ensure that all victim needs are met.
TVAP and CVWS work closely in an effort to provide a combined
approach to service delivery and to minimize duplication.
Mutual respect and the knowledge that each of these programs
provides a valuable and distinct service assists this combined
approach. This coordination is fostered by open lines of communication
(while respecting confidentiality) and an awareness of program
limitations and needs. Underlying this is our commitment to
ensuring that a victim's needs take priority over the justification
of statistics - ie turf wars. We hope that this method will
help a victim through a process which is nonetheless an overwhelming
experience.
If you want more information about TVAP and CVWS programs,
we encourage you to contact your local RCMP based and/or Crown
Counsel based service.
Kate Spangl, Manager, CVWS
Heidi Abbott, Volunteer, CVWS
Jan LeFrancois, Coordinator, TVAP
Jeanette Anderson, TVAP
Terrace Sexual Assault Centre
The Terrace Sexual Assault Centre (TSAC) has been in operation
since 1982 under the auspices of the Ksan House Society and
is funded by the Ministry of Attorney General. TSAC is operated
by a Coordinator Support Counsellor, and volunteers provide
free and confidential specialized victim assistance, support
counselling and crisis intervention services to those directly
or indirectly affected by sexual assault, child sexual abuse
and spousal assault.
The Centre provides information, orientations and accompaniment
through police, medical and courtroom procedures while promoting
public awareness and education through outreach in the Terrace
community and area. The Centre also provides 24-hour crisis
response through the Sexual Assault Crisis Line. This service
is operated by an answering service as well as TSAC staff
and well-trained volunteers.
TSAC provides services in accordance with the Victim Services
Division Volunteer Training Manual, based on the NOVA Model.
According to this training, after the occurrence of a crime
or trauma our first step is to provide an emergency response
or crisis intervention to victims. The most crucial aspect
of the crisis intervention stage is to assess whether or not
the victim is safe or is still in any danger. This stage involves
asking questions about the victim's safety and perhaps developing
a safety plan, providing emotional support, responding empathetically
to their feelings, assessing and attending to the victim's
needs, and providing the victim with options.
It is important to inform the victim about specific procedures
regarding rape exams, police procedures and even information
on the handling of the arrested person, especially if it is
a spouse or relative. The Victim Support Worker should be
nonjudgmental, validate the victim's feeling, be empathetic
and have the patience to repeat information if necessary to
a person in trauma.
Another factor to be aware of when working with victims
of abuse is that the victim may decide not to report the incident
to the police. All decisions made by a victim should be respected
by the Victim Support Worker, unless it is an incident where
there is known or suspected child abuse, when the incident
must be reported to MSS or the police. This initial contact
could take place over the phone, at the hospital, at the RCMP
office or even at the scene of the incident.
After the immediate crisis stage it is important that the
victim continue to receive support. This next stage is one
of stabilization where the Victim Support Worker provides
emotional support to the victim, responds to their needs and
concerns, and offers information. During this time options
are again offered and referrals are made. It is important
to be aware of the client's particular needs. However, some
clients may have special needs that they do not discuss and
that are not easily observable, as can be the case with male
victims, First Nations, ethnic groups, people with disabilities,
and gays and lesbians. For instance, First Nations and multicultural
groups may have cultural values or beliefs that affect the
type of service one provides, or they may require an interpreter.
People with disabilities may have trouble accessing a well-needed
referral. There may not be specific referral agencies in the
community for male victims or for gay or lesbian clients.
It is very important to be aware of a victim's specific
needs, and to be sensitive, nonjudgmental and accommodating.
When a victim has identified their needs and is well-informed,
they are better able to make a decision on what action will
be best for them. Giving back control to the victim is very
important, especially when working with abuse victims.
Throughout the investigation of the incident, the arrest
of the accused, the pre-court preparation, court accompaniment,
sentencing and post-court procedures, the Victim Support Worker
provides emotional support, information, referrals, orientations
and accompaniment. Follow-up calls and letters are made to
remind clients of the services we provide if they ever need
further assistance.
In Terrace there are three Victim Assistance programs available
to the community and area, including Crown Victim/Witness
Services, the Police-based Victim Assistance Program and the
Specialized Victim Assistance Program. My ideal framework
on how the Victim Assistance programs in Terrace could interrelate
and develop a good working relationship is by communicating
effectively and networking with one another, making referrals
to each other's programs and conducting professional consultations
with each other. In addition, we can provide public education/workshops
to the community, rely on each other for support, and most
importantly, share a common goal and vision. In order to achieve
this vision there needs to be trust, respect, flexibility,
an open mind and above all the willingness and dedication
to make changes and work together. I believe that with these
factors in place an effective working relationship amongst
the Victim Assistance Programs in Terrace may be obtained.
Shannon Andrews, BSW
Support Counsellor
|
