Elevating all Crime Survivor Voices! An Alternative Perspective: Trauma for Crime Survivors at the Intersection of race, culture, gender and ethnicity.
Participants will learn about community based - Innovative Practices in trauma informed care that has been recently implemented in Denver Metro area. They will also lean about how the voices of crime survivors and the intersectionality with the criminal justice system can be re-imaged in a way that truly supports the needs of survivors. Through a report released by CCJRC entitled, “Victim’s Speak.” CCJRC in conjunction with the Public Polling Policy institute surveyed 500 crime survivors of crime in the Denver metro area, with an oversampling of victims of color to better understand the needs and policy preferences of survivors. The results were published in the report in April of 2018 and one of the most profound findings was the lack of community-based support services, particularly evident for men, people of color, and young adults. Participants will get the opportunity to hear more about the findings of this report related to underserved communities and different strategies that must be integrated into direct services needs of crime survivors from these communities. The workshop also includes learnings from that field on the importance of building capacity for victim’s services. Two primary lessons are that intentionality is needed to build trust and on-going relationships in these communities year round and not just when victimization occurs. In 2018 CCJRC also hosted the first ever “Day of Healing” centering the voices of survivors and turning their healing into action. By placing survivors at the center of the conversation on how survivors heal from short and long-term trauma, survivors participated in in-depth discussions on what meets the needs of survivors. Attendees also participated in a multitude of healing modalities raging from indigenous heling to traditional therapeutic interventions. The event brought together crime survivors, particularly those from communities that have been most affected by crime and the criminal justice system. Participates will hear more about strategies like the “Day of Healing” and concepts on how to implement similar events in community.