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Tuesday, April 12, 2011
OVC News and Program Updates, First Edition
Monday, April 11, 2011
Immigrants and Refugees are among the least likely to report crimes to the police... If victims and witnesses of crime are afraid to report, how else can we reach them?
The New Neighbors Project is offering a free workshop in your community!
“Victim Services: 101”
April through September, 2011
Sponsored by the Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services
Adjusting to a new way of life in Vermont should not mean having to stay silent about crime. Please join us for “Victim Services: 101,” an informational workshop that will give an overview of victim services, for such crimes as:
- Domestic violence
- Sexual violence
- Child abuse/neglect
- Robbery
- DWI
- Assault
- Sex and labor slavery/trafficking
- Wage theft
This training will include:
- Increasing awareness of victim support services
- When must the police become involved?
- Victimization in immigrant and refugee communities
- Closing gaps in victim service provision to immigrant and refugee communities
- Immigration relief options for victims of crime
- Responses to your pre-submitted questions and concerns relating to crime victim services
Your community’s understanding will help open channels of support for victims of crime in Vermont.
For more information and/or to sign up for “Victim Services: 101,” please contact:
Barbara Whitchurch
Project Director
(802) 241-1250 x 112
Or
Friday, March 18, 2011
Legislation for U.S. Child Victims of Sex Trafficking
Much Needed Legislation For U.S. Child Victims Of Sex Trafficking: Excitement was brewing on Capitol Hill yesterday as, Senators Wyden (D-OR) and Cornyn (R-TX) Reintroduced the 2010 Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST) Deterrence and Victims Support Act of 2010 (H.R. 5575).… The Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Deterrence and Victims Support Act of 2011 has a new breath of life and is stronger than ever. The 2011 will provide crucial funds for services and shelter, and see that victimized children are not criminalized. It is estimated that more than 100,000 children are victims of sex trafficking each year in the United States according to recent estimates. The bill, if passed, calls for the establishment of six shelters to be placed across the U.S., which would provide a much needed safe haven for minors trafficked and sold into sexual slavery. Currently there are approximately some 50 designated beds in the country for U.S. sex trafficking victims, a number that cannot be comprehended for those fighting to support the 100,000 victimized youth each year. [HSEC-3.10; Date: 17 March 2011; Source: http://www.examiner.com/human-rights-in-washington-dc/much-needed-legislation-for-u-s-child-victims-of-sex-trafficking
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Webinar: "How U- and T-Visas can Assist Trafficking Victims"
HHS Rescue & Restore to Host WebEx Training:
“How T and U visas Can Assist Trafficking Victims”
Thursday, March 24, 2011
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)
Summary
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is hosting a series of free, online WebEx training sessions on a variety of topics related to human trafficking. The information session on Thursday, March 24, will focus on T visas and U visas for trafficking victims and address the following:
· Who can apply for a T or U visa;
· How to obtain a T or U visa;
· The benefits of T and U visas for trafficking victims; and
· Access to federally funded benefits and services via the T visa.
Presenters
Ms. Rosemary Hartman, Adjudications Officer, Office of Policy and Strategy, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Mr. Scott Whelan, Adjudications Officer, Office of Policy and Strategy, USCIS, DHS
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) offers protection for trafficking victims by allowing foreign victims of severe forms of trafficking in persons to apply to DHS for immigration relief, including the T nonimmigrant status (T visa) or U nonimmigrant status (U visa).
In her role at USCIS, Ms. Hartmann manages policy development and implementation of immigration relief for victims of human trafficking, the T and U nonimmigrant status, and the Special Immigrant Juvenile status for abused, abandoned and neglected immigrant minors. Mr. Whelan manages policy development and implementation of immigration relief for victims of human trafficking and other qualifying crimes through the U nonimmigrant status.
How to Register:
To register for the Thursday, March 24th, 2:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) training session, please click on the link below (or place it into your Internet browser):
https://mman.webex.com/mman/j.php?ED=144795107&RG=1&UID=1154810337&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D
Multiple participants from an organization are encouraged to register one individual for the session; participants can view the training through one computer and a speaker phone.
For those of you not familiar with WebEx trainings, all you need is access to a computer, the Internet, and your phone. After you register, the WebEx system will send you a confirmation e-mail with login information for both the web and the teleconference portions. Please save the confirmation email because it includes the following information:
Toll-free phone number and participant passcode for the audio portion of the training session; and
Web site link and passcode (same as the phone passcode) so you can view the PowerPoint (ppt) presentation as it is being presented. The ppt will advance automatically during the training session.
As part of the WebEx session, you can ask the presenter questions. Once on the call, the technician will guide you on how to ask questions orally. The speaker will answer questions during the last 15 minutes of the presentation.
We look forward to your participation!
Sincerely,
Maggie Wynne
Director, Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division
Rescue & Restore
National Human Trafficking Resource Center • 1-888-3737-888
Monday, March 14, 2011
New Neighbors Play Launches Performance Series
A family has to leave their homeland and move to Vermont. At first, it is hard to adjust because things are so different here. Then, just as they begin to get settled, the father is robbed while walking home from work. The family is frightened and confused. Should they call the police?
Living the Good Life in Vermont was created by the Awareness Theater Company of VSA Vermont to help refugees and immigrants understand their rights when crime happens to them....and to help Vermonters understand the feelings and experiences of our new neighbors!
The play, which was written and directed by Emily Anderson, will be performed at local community venues, schools, and houses of worship across the state this spring, summer and fall. It is approximately 1/2 hour long, and there will be a question and answer period after each performance. Interpreters will be available for performances in specific cultural communities.
We can incorporate a performance of the play into a larger community or school event. To book a performance in your area, contact Ian Williams: ian.williams@ccvs.state.vt.us or 802-399-9997.
To view a short psa about the play, visit http://www.cctv.org/node/102214
A video will also be available soon, free of charge, with translation into nine languages. To reserve a copy, contact Barbara Whitchurch: bwhitchurch@ccvs.state.vt.us
U.S. Auditors to Crack Down on I-9 Compliance
This month, the Obama administration announced that it has created an audit office to crack down on employers who hire undocumented immigrants. According to ICE, this action is a result of leads and other reports alleging the employment of unauthorized workers, payment of unfair wages or other unlawful working conditions.
Monetary penalties for knowingly hiring and continuing to employ foreign nationals who are unauthorized to work in the U.S. are in the thousands of dollars. In certain instances, there can be criminal fines in addition to the civil penalties as well as the potential for imprisonment for individuals who verify the I-9 documents.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Talk: Solidarity with Immigrants
Solidarity with Immigrants
From
Arizona to New Hampshire
Rev. Liana Rowe
Tuesday, March 8, 7:00 p.m.
The Church of Christ
at Dartmouth, Sanborn Room (soup and bread potluck at 6:00)
Rev. Liana Rowe, a minster of the Southwest Conference
of the United Church of Christ, is a resident of N.
Phoenix, Arizona who has been working for humane
immigration policies for more than ten years.
She sits on the Board of Directors for Humane Borders, a
humanitarian organization that maintains water stations in
remote desert regions of Southern Arizona. She has also
been active with Somos America/We Are America
Coalition in advocating for human and civil rights in
Arizona. Rev. Rowe was 2011 recipient of the City of
Phoenix Martin Luther King, Jr. Living the Dream
Award.
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