Trauma-Informed and Survivor-Centered Care
HAVEN’s team of Trauma Response Advocates are trained to be available to support survivors throughout the entire process of the criminal justice system, depending on what a client decides to move forward with and what the survivor feels they are needing support with.
With a particular focus on sexual assault survivors due to the nature of these services, we also provide the same support and services to survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, and incarcerated survivors of sexual violence.
Our 24/7 Trauma Response services include crisis intervention, emotional support, advocacy, and accompaniment throughout the medical, law enforcement, and court related processes that a survivor may experience. We provide this support with the mentality of meeting survivors where they need to be met, and not with any intentions of “saving” anyone or making decisions for them.
Continuous and explicit consent and communication with survivors throughout these processes are incredibly vital to the support that we offer.
We are not here to make any decisions for or pass any judgment towards survivors, as they are the ones who know what will work best for their life and current circumstances.
We focus on educating survivors and their loved ones on what their options are, and do so with a trauma-informed, survivor-centered approach.
Survivors have the right to refuse HAVEN services and revoke their consent at any point in the Sexual Assault Forensic Medical Exam and Interview process. Survivors can also receive this medical forensic exam without speaking with law enforcement or filing a police report, if they choose.
In this case, the evidence and information collected during the medical forensic exam will be stored according to local law enforcement protocols and will be available if the survivor ever decided they would like to move forward in the criminal justice process at that time, per the current state and federal laws regarding this process.
However, if survivors complete the medical forensic exam and interview process, and they decide to move forward with filing a police report with law enforcement at that time, it will then be at the discretion of the local District Attorney’s Office to determine whether criminal charges will be pressed against the perpetrator. Regardless of this decision, HAVEN advocates are available to provide continuous education and emotional support for survivors throughout this process.
Survivors also have the right to pursue a civil lawsuit and/or a restraining order against the perpetrator, either in the form of a domestic violence restraining order or a civil harassment order, depending on the relationship or connection between the survivor and the perpetrator.
Get Help Now
If you or anyone you know is a victim of sexual assault, human trafficking, or domestic violence, please call us 24/7 at (209) 577-5980 or our business line at (209) 524-4331.
Support HAVEN
If you are interested in donating, please call Kathleen at (209) 284-4732 or at krowe-glendon@havenstan.org.