H.A.V.E.N. Update
By Cathleen Osborne-Gowey (Program Admin – Crime Victim Advocate) 541.602.0616 or COsbornegowey@estoo.net
Program Update:
Hello all –
Summer is here!! It feels so good to see the sun and feel a bit of less stress. Our program has been busy this past spring. We applied for the 2021 OVW grant that funds our transitional housing program and our In-House Advocate and Outreach Coordinator. We are currently writing the 2021 HHS and OVC grant, which will ensure our legal services and the salary of our newly hired Court/Sexual Assault Advocate. Speaking of which, we’d love to introduce to you all our new Court/Sexual Assault Advocate Caren Hall. We are very excited to have Caren a part of Haven. Caren comes to us with several years’ experience in law enforcement and community engagement. She is an amazing addition to the staff. As she gets trained, she’ll work one on one with clients walking them through the court process as well as responding to sexual assault cases.
Did you know that Haven Assists ALL Victims of Crime?
Our program is best known for assisting victims of domestic violence and sexual assault; however, did you know that if you are home is broken into and you need new locks we can help? If you are a victim of arson, identity theft, assault, DUI crash we can provide advocacy and emergency assistance (with verification of the crime within the past 6 months).
Did you know that the state of Oklahoma has a crime victims compensation fund? This fund can assist with many different issues that have come from your victimization. Our advocates can help walk you through the application process. The application can be found at: https://www.ok.gov/dac/Victims/Victims_Compensation_Program/.
Purpose of the Program
(as stated by the Oklahoma Crime Victims Compensation Program Information Page)
“The purpose of the Crime Victims Compensation Act is to provide a method of compensation for victims of violent crime. All funds come from federal and state offenders through fines and penalty assessments. An arrest of the offender does NOT have to take place in order to be eligible to file a claim; however, the victim and/or claimant is expected to fully cooperate in the apprehension, investigation, and prosecution of the perpetrator. The claimant is also expected to fully cooperate with the District Attorney’s Office and Victims Compensation Board staff during the processing of the claim”.
Below is a list of the crimes we’re talking about. It’s important to know HAVEN is not responsible for defining what constitutes a victim of crime as these definitions are already set through U.S. Department of Justice-Office of Justice Programs-Office for Victims of Crime. For a complete listing of how OVC defines what is a victim of crime and what types of victimization is covered, see below. (From https://www.ovc.gov/library/glossary.html#typeofvictim)
Office for Victims of Crime
Type of Victim/Victimization Definitions
Type of Victim/Victimization
Adult molested as child
Adult age 18 or older who was sexually abused as a child (see child sexual abuse definition below).
Adult sexual assault
Sexual offense—including rape, incest, fondling, exhibitionism, or pornography—of an adult age 18 or older.
Aggravated assault
Unlawful, intentional causing of serious bodily injury with or without a deadly weapon, or unlawful, intentional attempting or threatening of serious bodily injury or death with a deadly or dangerous weapon.
Arson
Any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling, house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, or personal property of another.
Assault
An unlawful attack by one person on another, with or without a weapon, that inflicts, or attempts or threatens to inflict, physical injury.
Child
A person under the age of 18 or as otherwise defined by state law.
Child physical abuse
Non-accidental injury to a child by a parent or other adult that may include severe beatings, burns, strangulation, or human bites.
Child sexual abuse
Sexual offense (see definition below) against a child by a parent or other adult.
Domestic violence
Violent acts involving a current or former spouse or domestic partner.
DUI/DWI crash
Accident involving one or more motor vehicles in which at least one driver was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs (DUI) or was legally intoxicated (DWI) at the time of the crash.
Elder abuse
Abuse perpetrated by a caretaker on an elderly individual who depends on others for support and assistance.
Fraud
A deliberate deception perpetrated for unlawful or unfair gain.
Gang violence
Criminal acts committed by a group of three or more individuals who regularly engage in criminal activity and identify themselves with a common name or sign.
Human Trafficking
Sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion, for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.
Identity theft
A crime in which an imposter obtains key pieces of personal information, such as Social Security or driver’s license numbers, to impersonate someone else.
Other, referring to types of victim served
Victims of nonviolent crime, such as burglary and white-collar crime.
Other violent crimes
Other crimes not listed, not including property crimes (which is the taking of money or property without force or threat of force).
Robbery
Taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence.
Sexual offense
Forcible rape, attempted rape, statutory rape, sexual harassment, prostitution, or other unlawful sexual contact and other unlawful behavior intended to result in sexual gratification or profit from sexual activity.
Stalking
Any unwanted contact between two people that directly or indirectly communicates a threat or places the victim in fear.
Survivor of homicide victim
Family member or loved one of a murder victims.
Terrorism
Use of violence or intimidation to coerce a government or civilian population to further political or social objectives.
Victims with disabilities
Victims of crime who have a physical or mental disability.
White-collar crime
Nonviolent crime for financial gain committed by means of deception by persons with special technical and professional knowledge of business or government.
Haven advocates for all victims of crime. If you have questions, please contact HAVEN and talk with one of our advocates about how we can help and what services Haven can provide.
If you are able please call or see the messaging links above:
Haven Office: 918-554-2836
Text Line: 918.533.3070
Crime Victim Advocate: 541.602.0616
Program Website: https://havenprogram.com/
Program Email: havenprogram@estoo.net
Facebook: HAVEN Tribal Program, Twitter: @ProgramHaven, Instagram: HAVENTRIBALProgram.
Our advocates are here to help!
