Guest Speakers: Crime Victim Care of Allen County
Babra Chakanyuka, Patrick Chesebrough and Tena Dellaca-Hedrick .

CVC’s mission statement: “Crime Victim Care assists victims of crime from immigrant, non-English speaking, and migrant communities in the Allen County area of Indian. As an interfaith outreach initiative, CVC provides a range of services to help victims and their families cope with physical, emotional, and spiritual trauma.”

Babra Chakanyuka, the Volunteer Coordinator for Crime Victim Care, introduced herself as a native of Zimbabwe who also has lived in France for seven years. There she began to understand what a barrier language can be. Her experiences as an immigrant and her background in psychology give her much insight as she advocates—and trains others to advocate—for crime victims from other cultures. She is also studying Human Services at Ivy Tech, to better enable her to assist clients at CVC.

Crime Victim Care of Allen County, while directed to immigrants, is available to all. CVC is also often a go-to organization for non-English speakers just for information (e.g., how to get a driver’s license, etc.) They urgently need to understand local laws, customs. Babra pointed out that many who speak English don’t have “cultural confidence”…don’t understand the nuances of this language. (An example was given of a Buddhist woman in court, whose “feeling guilt” did not mean the same as pleading “guilty” to a crime…she didn’t understand the difference, and neither did her translator—he spoke her language but didn’t understand her culture; he entered her plea as “guilty”.)

Non-English speakers have a harder time accessing services. As victims of crime, they don’t know their rights, and what help is available. Many are accustomed to being ignored by police in their own countries unless they can pay a bribe. Our local police often come to educational meetings to reassure them that this is not the case in Fort Wayne, and to encourage them to call the police, the fire department, etc., in case of emergency.

Babra is a victim advocate, and recruits volunteers from various ethnic groups to be trained to help in their segments of our community. They assist case managers as interpreters and provide deeper understanding of the victim’s cultural viewpoint. Babra works as liaison between Child Protective Services (and other agencies) and clients. A licensed Family Counselor is also on staff.

CVC works closely with the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic (our guest speaker in October 2009) at the Refugee Center on Calhoun Street. Recently they’ve assisted a victim from Haiti who needed emergency visa. The earthquake happened while they were visiting Fort Wayne, and it was not safe for them to return to their home.

The frustrations and anxieties associated with being transplanted into a foreign culture can lead to depression, to alcoholism, and to domestic violence (as well as other crimes—theft, etc.).

Tena Dellaca-Hedrick works with the Fort Wayne Sexual Assault Treatment Center FWSATC). An Australian who is half aborigine, she has traveled extensively in this country and abroad. At Crime Victim Care, she is an advocate working on educating immigrants regarding sexual norms and boundaries here in America, our laws and practices. She has handled 7,000 cases in 10 years. Tena observed that 85% of sexual assaults are committed by someone personally known to the victim, or in their circle of acquaintances. Often there is a more intimate connection (family member).

The FWSATC, located at 2270 Lake Avenue, offers its services free of charge, and the victim is not required to file a police report in order to receive services. A nurse and an advocate are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Their phone number is 423-2222. In the case of rape, rape kits are provided free; the case number and “Jane Doe” are provided to the police along with the kit, and are held for one year. If the victim chooses not to formally report the crime, the kit is discarded after one year.

Tena pointed out that the FW Police Department’s Victim Assistance Division is the official first step for victims of crime who want to press charges. FWSATC and CVC provide follow-up services.

FWSATC provides Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence training sessions, intensive and comprehensive 40-hour courses, four times per year. Scholarships are available to those who work with social service agencies or law enforcement, making the cost $350. Nurses pay $650.

There is inherent tension in many immigrants/refugees, who see America as land of hope and promise, and yet want to protect and maintain their own cultural identity. Conflicts arise in immigrant families because the children are more open to the new culture, speak the language better, and the parents are angry, resentful, afraid that the children will lose their identity and the parents lose their authority. Intervention is often needed to speak to both parties, to explain the other point of view. Parenting styles vary, especially depending on the spiritual values and religious beliefs. It is possible for children to control the household based on their stronger language skills, holding their parents virtually hostage.

Patrick Chesebrough, new to CVC, is the Addictions Coordinator. He is a student at IPFW, majoring in graphic design and videography, which skills he hopes to utilize in behalf of CVC. A recovering alcoholic and addict (sober 10 years), Patrick comes from Indy. He has been married for six years, and has spent these years volunteering in recovery agencies and communities, halfway houses, etc. His goal is to develop a 12-step program reaching out specifically to immigrants and refugees.

Patrick informed us that alcohol is often involved in sexual assaults among these communities. He sees 12-step programs as one primary solution. He is making them available in other languages, by filming testimonies, and having them translated into 28 different languages. As in our own culture, drug and alcohol addiction is not only an individual. problem…it affects whole families. It is woven into the fabric of many cultures. ,Many cultures represented in Fort Wayne are made up of extended families rather than nuclear ones, so the affects of alcohol are more far-reaching. Al-Anon is becoming involved as well, educating these extended families about their responsibilities and resources. Some of their clients are court-ordered to attend the 12-step meetings that CVC offers.

Many male-dominated cultures are represented…these men are having a hard time adjusting to a culture where women are equal, and where the women often find jobs more easily even without language skills. Men who can’t take care of their families struggle with anger, shame and despair. Demasculation often leads to depression, alcohol abuse and violence.

Our next agency luncheon will be April 30, 2010 at noon.  Please join us!

Speaker:  Lettie Haver, ACPL Paul Clarke Nonprofit Resource Center

The center’s services have been offered for about seven years.  There are 400 centers in the collective. (Ours is one of only seven which is fully staffed.)  They are a clearinghouse for grant information, connected with the Foundation Center in NYC.  All services at the Center are free of charge. Sign up for their informative newsletter at www.pcnrc.wordpress.com

One of their primary research tools is the Foundation Directory Online—it is free to use, and the Center offers free classes to learn how to use it.  The database will direct you to those who specifically fund what you need money for.  Every funder has different areas, parameters, exceptions, specialties.

The Centers also offers classes on grant writing basics. These happen monthly. Another regular feature is 23 @ 4.   On the 23^rd of each month (when it falls on a Monday through Friday) at 4:00 pm…a variety of topics of interest are featured.  Check the newsletter for upcoming topics. The Center can also provide a list of consultatns who are willing to write grants for nonprofits.  Lettie noted that grant writers should be paid by the organization as a staff member of consultant.  One should not expect the grant-writing fee to come out of the grant monies awarded.

Their major annual program,  Meet the Funders,” includes a panel discussion involving local foundations–12 participated last year. After the panel presentation, the noprofit reps are invited to “speed-dating” sessions at tables. One funder meets with a handful of nonprofits at one time to talk further and more specifically.  Open sign-up will happen in May for the 2010 event in June.

The Center also provides free consultation by appointment, on nonprofit management, with Marilyn, who was formerly the director of a nonprofit organization. Nonprofits can e-mail her questions, and she will answer, or set up an appointment to talk in person if that’s more appropriate.  All the Center’s work is confidential.

Additionally, the Center offers, on request, retreats for nonprofit boards, up to six hours long, on Saturdays.

Thank you!

The increase IAM sees now is with clients in situational poverty.  Up to two thirds of our clients are new to the system. Update from Pastor Alyn Biddle