July 13, 2023

In This Issue...

Quarterly RASA/VOJO Program Reports Due July 20,2023!

Important Message for all RASA and VOJO Programs - Quarterly Program Reports for the 2023-2024 RASA/VOJO Funding Cycle will cover the time period from

April 1, 2023 to June 30, 2023 and should be submitted in E-grants by no later than Thursday, July 20, 2023.

IMPORTANT!

For Quarter 2 of the report period, programs are asked to separate new and continuing victims.

REMINDERS:

Please select “No” when asked to make the report a Final Program Report.

You do not need to enter anything in the “Briefly List Activities Conducted During This Period” Section on the main page of the report. You may simply enter “Not Applicable” in this section on the main page of the report and save it.

It is very important to submit your program report in E-grants by the due date of July 20, 2023. PCCD applies a risk level to each sub-grantee. One of the factors that impacts an agency’s risk level is delinquent quarterly reports. RASA and VOJO Reports submitted later than July 20, 2023 may adversely impact the agency’s risk level. If, for any reason, you are unable to enter your report data and submit the report by the due date, please contact our office to let us know so we may instruct you on how to proceed in order to avoid your report being delinquent.

If you should have any questions or need assistance completing your quarterly program reports, please contact Maria Katulis at mkatulis@pa.gov or

(717) 265-8741, or Heather Cureau at hcureau@pa.gov or (717) 265-8712.

Quarterly fiscal reports for RASA and VOJO grants will also be due in E-grants by July 20, 2023. If you have any fiscal report questions, please contact the fiscal staff person listed on your grant for assistance.

If you need technical assistance with E-grants, you may contact the E-grants Support Line at (717) 787-5887 or RA-eGrantsSupport@pa.gov.

RASA/VOJO Excel Tracker Video Tutorial

The 2023-2024 RASA/VOJO Funding Announcement outlines various performance measures that Sub-grantees must maintain as prescribed by PCCD and/or federal and state guidelines. A complete list of required data points can be found on Pages 13-16 of the 2023-2024 RASA/VOJO Funding Announcement.

Similar with past funding cycles, PCCD has an excel spreadsheet available for grantees to track outcomes. The use of this tool for all Sub-grantees continues to be voluntary.

PCCD has recently created a video tutorial providing information on the RASA/VOJO Excel spreadsheet tracking tool. The video tutorial provides a walkthrough with step by step instructions on how to properly use the spreadsheet. The video has been uploaded to the PCCD YouTube channel and can be found here.

The tracking tool was created by PCCD to assist victim service providers with tracking their clients, services, and data outcomes. If you are not currently using the spreadsheet but would like to utilize it, we encourage transitioning to your use at the start of a new reporting period such as July 1^st or October 1^st.

The PCCD RASA/VOJO tracking tool can be accessed by clicking the link.

Additional video resources and tutorials for applicants and grantees can be found by accessing the PCCD YouTube channel.

Gun Violence Widely Viewed As A Major - And Growing National Problem

With total gun-related deaths reaching new highs in recent years, growing shares of Americans view both gun violence and violent crime as very big national problems.

Please click here to read.

Study Finds Witnessing Crime Increases Of Carrying Gun

Reducing exposure to violence may be one way to stop cycles of violence among teenagers, says a new study led by researchers at the University of Michigan. Teenagers who witness violence in various forms are more likely than those who don't to carry a firearm, found researchers at Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention in collaboration with the Firearm Safety Among Children and Teens Consortium, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Please click here to read.

Take It Down

Take It Down is a free service that can help you remove or stop the online sharing of nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit images or videos taken of you when you were under 18 years old. You can remain anonymous while using the service and you won’t have to send your images or videos to anyone. Take It Down will work on public or unencrypted online platforms that have agreed to participate.

Please click here to read.

Reimagining Enhanced Access And Capacity Of The Hotline (REACH) Project

The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV)’s WomensLaw project and Esperanza United are partnering on the Reimagining Enhanced Access and Capacity of the Hotline (REACH) Project.

Together, we are enhancing and expanding the capacity of the WomensLaw Email Hotline, which provides free, confidential legal information and support in both English and Spanish for victims and survivors of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; their advocates; and their loved ones.

Please click here to access.

Anti - LGBTQ+ Hate & Extremism Incidents, 2022 - 2023

Between June 2022 and April 2023, ADL and GLAAD documented at least 356 anti-LGBTQ+ extremist and non-extremist incidents motivated by hate across the United States. From demonstrations aiming to intimidate organizers and attendees at drag shows, to bomb threats against hospitals that offer health care for LGBTQ+

people to a mass shooting that took the lives of five people in Colorado, incidents of anti-LGBTQ+ hate and extremism are an important part of a larger story about the heightened threats facing the LGBTQ+ community in the United States today.

Please click here to view.

Introducing The New Pennsylvania Victim Services Training Website

Through a collaborative effort between the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) and Penn State Harrisburg, two online training sites –– the Pennsylvania Victim Services Training website (https://pavictimservicestraining.org) and PCCD Capacity Building Portal (https://pacapacity.net ) - will be combined into a single learning space. This brand-new online learning experience will include over 60 victim services and leadership/governance training opportunities, improved site navigation, and a comprehensive course reporting area. A convenient one-stop shop for all victim services training needs, we hope this site will offer enhanced opportunities for learning and collaboration.

The current sites will remain active until the new site is launched in September 2023. Importantly, learners with accounts on the Pennsylvania Victim Services Training site will retain all course completion certificates, and all courses available on the Pennsylvania Victim Services Training website will continue to be available on the new site. As we get closer to the launch, site administrators will send instructions for wrapping up in-progress courses and share more details about the timeline and planned down time during the site migration. Please keep an eye out for these instructions in your inbox in the coming months.

If you have any questions or concerns during this process, please do not hesitate to reach out to PVSTsupport@psu.edu for assistance.

Teens To Take Part in Symposium Designed To Address Youth Violence

Hundreds of teens will take part in a two-day event designed to help them address youth violence and come up with strategies to accomplish their greatest goals.

It's an expansion of a youth symposium held last year in response to a number of gun-related deaths of local teens.

Please click here to read.

National Crime Victims' Service Awards

The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) will soon be updating and announcing the award categories for the 2024 National Crime Victims’ Service Awards.

These prestigious awards recognize the individuals, organizations, teams, and programs that demonstrate outstanding achievements or extraordinary acts in support of victims and survivors and expanding access to justice across all communities.

This year’s awards will honor—

members of the victim services field (e.g., service providers, policymakers, and victims’ rights champions),

allied professionals (e.g., health care, education, legal, social work, and first responder communities),

researchers that made a significant contribution to the understanding of crime victim issues,

youth up to age 24 who have dedicated their efforts to supporting victims of crime, and

crime victims and survivors whose perseverance or determination have influenced change.

The nomination period is scheduled to open in mid-July.

More information, including due dates and details about award categories, will be provided at the start of the nomination period. In the meantime, check out the general Submission Guidelines so you know what to expect and can start gathering your materials for the nomination package.

Have Goals Not Guns

THIS GOAL SETTING PROGRAM IS FOR YOUTH/STUDENTS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 13-18 YEARS OLD.

As teenagers transition into adulthood, they encounter a range of new responsibilities and challenges. The HAVE GOALS NOT GUNS assists teens on developing essential goal setting and life skills, including effective communication, time management, resilience, and problem-solving. By honing these skills, especially goal settingduring the summer, your youth will remain productive, effective and focused while gaining a competitive edge as they navigate their academic, personal, and professional journey....all in a fun-filled, interactive and safe environment

Click here to view

New Resource For Responding To Trans Survivors Of Sexual Violence

End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI) has a new victim interview simulation available in the Learning Resource Room of the Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exam Virtual Practicum. The simulation includes a full-length law enforcement interview with Emily, a trans woman who was sexually assaulted by someone she considered a friend.

With this resource, law enforcement, health care providers, victim advocates, and allied professionals will enhance their ability to:

Recognize how misgendering a victim can cause harm and describe

approaches to genuinely repair the relationship.

Identify ways a perpetrator can exploit a survivor’s trust to make them more

vulnerable.

Practice trauma-informed, survivor-centered interview techniques.

Upcoming Trainings & Events

From The Director's Desk

Thursday July 13, 2023 3:00 pm

In recognition of the second anniversary of her appointment, Director Rose will provide a longer briefing that explores OVC’s efforts to increase options, access, and information for all crime victims and survivors over the past two years. Anyone interested in OVC’s work is welcome to attend. Registration is not required.

Dial: 415-527-5035
Access Code: 2763 450 8124
Attendee ID: Press #

Emotional Labor And Secondary Trauma In Prosecuting Sexual Assault Cases

July 19, 2023 2:00 pm

This workshop provides an overview of compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, and vicarious trauma as it relates to victim service providers, including prosecutors. Participants will learn about key findings relating to research on prosecutors' experiences with secondary trauma and emotional labor in working sex crimes. The presentation will also include strategies to mitigate secondary trauma from an individual and organizational standpoint.

Please click here to register.

Supporting LGBTQ+ Stalking Victims

July 31, 2023 12:00 p.m.

When responding to and supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) stalking victims, most of the same stalking information, behaviors, risks, and safety planning considerations apply as when working with the general population. In addition, it is critical to consider specific issues that may affect LGBTQ+ stalking victims.

Please click here to register.

PCAR/NSVRC Reveal New Name

Tuesday August 15, 2023 at 2:00 pm

In this brief, virtual webinar, we will celebrate the culmination of our inclusive rebranding process that engaged the voices and insights of many of our state and national partners.

Please click here to register.

Safety And Social Media

Using the internet and social media can be a great way to connect with friends and family, provide a platform for learning and explore our world from anywhere. How do you do it safely and teach those you care for to do so as well? Together we will create a space to answer your questions on how people can safely navigate our ever-expanding virtual world safely and begin the discussion about how to respond if that space becomes unsafe.

August 31, 2023

6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Those who attend will:

Build awareness of overall internet safety and how use the internet safely and responsibly;
Learn how promote internet safety using a team model with their family; and
Identify ways of responding to cyberbullying, digital abuse, and other unsafe situations that may arise on social media or the internet.

Please click here to register.

Pornography & Trafficking: Unpacking the Symbiosis

September 6, 2023, 11:30 – 1:30

While sex trafficking and porn have both been defined as forms of sexual

violence, rooted in a system of gender inequality, what is often overlooked is the

way these two industries are culturally and economically linked. By unpacking this symbiotic relationship between porn and trafficking, we can develop a more nuanced theory and practice to abolish all forms of sexual violence.

Please click here to register.

Penn State Harrisburg’s Institute of State and Regional Affairs has partnered with the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV) to examine domestic violence survivors' experiences in regard to reporting to law enforcement and utilizing victim service resources. This study includes an interview portion and/or a survey portion. They will be conducting interviews and collecting surveys until August 31, 2023. Interviews will be conducted in English, while surveys will be available in both English and Spanish.

Please contact Emily R. Strohacker, Ph.D. at ers50@psu.edu if you have any questions or would like to participate.

Victims Compensation Assistance Program Online Trainings

The following trainings will be held on August 1, 2023.

Funeral & Burial Expenses Clinic - 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Transportation Expenses Clinic – 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

The following trainings will be held on August 16, 2023.

Crime Scene Cleanup Expenses Clinic - 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Myths of Compensation – 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

All trainings count towards 1 hour of the required RASA/VOCA/VOJO training hours, except Basic Compensation which counts towards 2 and DAVE training which counts towards 2.25.

Please click here to register.

Employment Opportunities

Please click here to view current employment opportunites.

Please click here to view current employment opportunities.

The next OVS Newsletter will be published on July 26, 2023. If you would like any training events, fundraisers, or notable news published in this newsletter, please submit them to Lea Dorsey at ledorsey@pa.gov by Wednesday, July 19, 2023.