Crisis Intervention Services

Golfers will be on the greens Saturday, June 27 to help prevent violence in Keokuk, Lucas, Mahaska and Marion counties.

Crisis Intervention Services will hold their 9th annual Charity Golf Tournament Saturday, June 27, 2009 at Harvest Point Golf Course. The tournament is a four-person best ball with a single shotgun start at 7:30 a.m. The cost to enter is only $15 plus green fees and cart rental ($41 max per person) and includes 18 holes of golf, flight prizes and hole prizes. Someone will go home with a round of golf for four at Amana Colonies Golf Course! To register your team, call Harvest Point Pro Shop today at 673-3100.

Proceeds from this event will benefit Crisis Intervention Services (CIS) and individuals in their four-county service area. The mission of Crisis Intervention Services is to provide support, resources, and hope for a better future to persons affected by domestic abuse, sexual assault and other crises. People experiencing crises situations may call the CIS 24-hour crisis Line at 673-5499 or 800-270-1620.

Purple Ribbon Auction Successful for CIS

The 2nd Annual Purple Ribbon Auction to benefit Crisis Intervention Services (CIS) was held Saturday evening at the Nelson Pioneer Farm Bradbury Hall despite many storms throughout the area. Almost 70 people attended the event. “We had hoped for 75-100 people, but with the storms on Saturday we were pleased with the attendance. Everyone seemed to have a good time while supporting a critical service to our communities,” reported Dawn Stephens, executive director.

“This is the most successful fundraising event CIS has ever had. We raised almost $5,000. We are humbled by the generosity of those in attendance, as well as the many businesses that supported the event with donations,” said Tonya Muir, chair of the Purple Ribbon Auction Committee. “Our committee started planning the event in October and worked very hard to put together a fun and fruitful evening for our cause.” The evening consisted of live and silent auctions, games to keep the crowd entertained, and guest auctioneering by Congressman Boswell who regularly attends CIS fundraising events.

The funds raised will support the services Crisis Intervention Services provides to victims of violent crimes. “Our first priority is to clean up the lead paint in the shelter and we now have enough funds to get this work started,” said Dawn Stephens. If anyone was unable to attend the auction, but would like to make a tax-deductible donation to CIS they can mail or bring the donation to one of our outreach offices. If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or other violent crimes, please call the CIS 24-hour crisis line at 641-673-5499 or 800-270-1620.

Staff and Volunteer of Crisis Intervention Services Recognized by Coalition

Crystal Sodak, Jeff Shaw, Jackie Allen Black, Marilyn Mott, and Tonya Muir

Karen Lafrenz, Jackie Allen Black, and Dawn Stephens

Karen Lafrenz, Volunteer, with Jackie Allen Black and Dawn Stephens of Crisis Intervention Services at the ICADV Annual Meeting

At the Annual Meeting of the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence on March 22, 2007, Karen Lafrenz, former advocate and volunteer of Crisis Intervention Services received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her dedicated service to victims of domestic violence.

Karen was one of the first advocates hired when Crisis Intervention Services (CIS) opened in July 1997. She and three other advocates started CIS from the ground up including creating policies, building collaborative relationships, providing direct services, and creating a volunteer program. Karen's education to the community was exactly what was needed for a new domestic violence program. She taught us all a powerful message about equality, respect, and zero tolerance for violence. Without Karen, our services and financial support would not be what it is today. All of the staff and volunteers at CIS had, in Karen, one of the greatest role models in the world. She taught us about advocacy, empowerment, and non-judgmental listening to what the victim needs. Karen left employment with CIS in August 2003, due to a disability which damaged her voice. But, her heart was still with us and she continued to volunteer for CIS. She covered overnight and evening shifts whenever we needed her. She organized and sorted through donations, ensuring that women and children always found nice, folded clothes waiting for them. She assisted with fundraising activities and continues today to help spread the word about our services. Karen is leaving CIS, and Oskaloosa, in March, to relocate. Karen will be greatly missed by us all and will remain forever in our hearts.

Advocates Crystal Sodak and Jacklynmae Allen Black were recognized for ten years of service to victims of domestic violence with Crisis Intervention Services. Advocates Tonya Muir, Marilyn Mott, and Jeff Shaw, also with Crisis Intervention Services, were recognized for five years of service to victims of domestic violence.

What Every Parent Needs to Know About Dating Violence

In March, Crisis Intervention Services (CIS) will be offering workshops for parents and anyone else interested in learning about teen dating violence. Dating violence is a serious risk for many youth in our communities. More than one in four teenage girls in a relationship (26%) report enduring repeated verbal abuse. One in three teenagers report knowing a friend or peer who has been hit, punched, kicked, slapped, choked or physically hurt by their partner. Nearly one in five teenage girls who have been in a relationship said a boyfriend had threatened violence or self-harm if presented with a break-up. (Liz Claiborne Inc. study on teen dating abuse conducted by Teenage Research Unlimited, February 2005.)

The purpose of the workshops is to teach parents how to recognize warning signs of dating violence, how to speak with your teens about dating violence, and what resources are available to parents and their teens. Workshops will be available throughout the CIS service area, including Keokuk, Lucas, Mahaska, and Marion counties.

Workshop dates and locations are as follows:
Oskaloosa: March 19th United Way Building at 7:00 PM
Knoxville: March 20th Knoxville Public Library at 5:30 PM
Chariton: March 21st Chariton Public Library at 5:30 PM
Sigourney: March 22nd Sigourney Public Library at 5:30 PM

These workshops are provided at no cost to the participants. For more information or to register for a workshop, please contact Catherine, Sexual Assault Advocate, at 641-673-0336 or 800-270-1620 x17 or crisisintervention@mahaska.org. Registration is not required, but is recommended.

Crisis Intervention Services has Opening in Transitional Housing Apartments

Crisis Intervention Services is pleased to announce that an opening will be available in January for a two-bedroom apartment at Pathway 2 Independence. The program is designed to accomplish the following:

To be eligible for participation, the individual or household must meet the HUD definition of homelessness among other requirements. Priority will be given to (1) individuals/families who have been affected by domestic abuse and/or sexual assault and (2) individuals/families with the greatest barriers to achieving self-sufficiency and who are motivated to create life change.

Participation is contingent upon the participant’s written agreement to abide by program policies and individual guidelines (which will be developed with their advocate and included in their individual case plan). An action plan consists of formulating clearly defined objectives for achieving self-sufficiency, specifically stated time frame for achieving objectives, participation in supportive services with Crisis Intervention Services and other service providers in the area, and the development of a budget and participation in a savings program. The length of the Transitional Housing Program is up to two years. Supportive services may be provided for up to six months from your exit date.

Interested persons may request more information by calling 673-5499 or 800-270-1620. Applications can be picked up at Crisis Intervention Services outreach offices at 500 High Avenue West, Oskaloosa, or 612 ½ Franklin Street, Pella.

For more information, contact:
Janese, Transitional Housing Advocate
Crisis Intervention Services
641-673-0336

Shelter Supply Drive for Crisis Intervention Services

Crisis Intervention Services is collecting donations for our Shelter Supply Drive. Crisis Intervention Services is a non-profit organization that provides an emergency shelter for survivors of domestic abuse, sexual assault, other violent crimes, and homelessness.

Crisis Intervention Services is in great need of facial tissues, toilet paper, and paper towels at our emergency shelter. We rely on donations from caring individuals and organizations in order to provide survivors with items such as hygiene and paper products, as well as cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, and dishwasher detergent. Food is also an appreciated donation. “Last year, Crisis Intervention Services served 147 women and children in our emergency shelter. The amount of paper products needed for that many people is quite extraordinary,” according to Dawn Stephens, executive director. “We are also still raising funds for needed shelter renovations, primarily to properly abate the lead-based paint in the interior of the home, which poses a safety risk for children and women of childbearing age.”

The Pella office for Crisis Intervention Services is located at 612-1/2 Franklin Street and our office number is 621-1707. The Oskaloosa office is located at 500 High Avenue West and the number is 673-0336. Please check out our website at www.cismc.org for a full list of our shelter and office wish list items, or call an advocate for a list and we would be glad to provide you with one. If the stairs to our Pella office are a struggle for you, an advocate would be happy to meet you downstairs or at a different location. With community support, we can provide survivors with some of the necessary items to survive. Thank you for your support!

VOLUNTEER TRAINING

Volunteers are critical to the success of most non-profit agencies, and Crisis Intervention Services (CIS) is no different. Crisis Intervention Services provides support, resources, and hope for victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault in Keokuk, Lucas, Mahaska and Marion Counties. Some of the free and confidential services they offer are a 24-hour crisis line, individual crisis counseling, support groups, criminal/legal advocacy, information and referrals, and emergency shelter. “Providing all of these services 24/7 would be impossible without our volunteers and interns from local colleges.

We are offering a Level I Advocacy Training on January 18-22. The training will be held in Oskaloosa from 5:30-9:30 on Wednesday-Friday evenings and in Knoxville on Saturday from 8-6 and Sunday from 1-5. The two locations will best meet the needs of the individuals who have registered. If you have been thinking about assisting CIS, now is the time to express interest in volunteering. The training is open to anyone in the community who is interested in volunteering with CIS or anyone who just wants to learn more about domestic abuse and sexual assault.

“We invite anyone and everyone to attend this training, even if they do not have the time to volunteer. We all know someone who has been abused. One in four women will be abused in their lifetime. This is valuable information for parents, family and friends of survivors, school counselors, clergy, law enforcement, medical personnel, and other professionals,” said Dawn Stephens, CIS Executive Director. “Crisis Intervention Services asks for donation of $25 for the training, but scholarships are available.”

Jackie emphasized that “CIS only asks for a small time commitment from our volunteers. You choose the times and duties that work best for you.” CIS hopes you will consider helping adults and children in our communities who deserve support, resources, and hope for a better future. Please call 641-673-5499 if you are interested in attending the training. Advance registration is preferred, but not required. Volunteer applications are available at www.cismc.org and at our outreach offices in Oskaloosa and Pella or call 673-5499 and an application can be mailed to you.

This training is valuable for service providers including teachers, clergy, social workers, counselors, nurses, survivors, and law enforcement officials as well as concerned citizens and potential volunteers. Please call CIS at 673-5499 or 673-0336 for more information.

Level I Advocacy Training

Jan 18 5:30-9:30 p.m. UW Conf. Rm 500 High Ave. W Oskaloosa
Jan 19 5:30-9:30 p.m. UW Conf. Rm 500 High Ave. W Oskaloosa
Jan 20 5:30-9:30 p.m. UW Conf. Rm 500 High Ave. W Oskaloosa
Jan 21 8-6 p.m. Godfathers Pizza Knoxville
Jan 22 1-5 pm Godfathers Pizza Knoxville

VOLUNTEER TRAINING RESULT OF INCREASED INTERNS

We are offering a Level I Advocacy Training on September 7-10. The training will be held in Pella from 5-9 on Wednesday-Friday evenings and in Oskaloosa on Saturday from 8-5. The two locations will best meet the needs of the college students. Another Level I Advocacy Training will be sponsored by the Crisis Center & Women’s Shelter in Ottumwa on three consecutive Fridays. If you have been thinking about assisting CIS, now is the time to express interest in volunteering. The training is open to anyone in the community who is interested in volunteering with CIS or anyone who just wants to learn more about domestic abuse and sexual assault.

“We invite anyone and everyone to attend this training, even if they do not have the time to volunteer. We all know someone who has been abused. One in four women will be abused in their lifetime. This is valuable information for parents, family and friends of survivors, school counselors, clergy, law enforcement, medical personnel, and other professionals,” said Dawn Stephens, CIS Executive Director. “Crisis Intervention Services asks for donation of $25 for the training, but scholarships are available.”

Jackie emphasized that “CIS only asks for a small time commitment from our volunteers. You choose the times and duties that work best for you.” CIS hopes you will consider helping adults and children in our communities who deserve support, resources, and hope for a better future. Please call 673-5499 if you are interested in attending the training. Advance registration is preferred, but not required. Also, volunteer applications are available at www.cismc.org. This training is valuable for service providers including teachers, clergy, social workers, counselors, nurses, survivors, and law enforcement officials as well as concerned citizens and potential volunteers. Please call CIS at 673-5499 or 673-0336 for more information.

September 7 5-9 p.m. Subway, 412 E Oskaloosa Street, Pella
September 8 5-9 p.m. Subway, 412 E Oskaloosa Street, Pella
September 9 5-9 p.m. Subway, 412 E Oskaloosa Street, Pella
September 10 8-4 p.m. UW Conference Room, 500 High Avenue West, Oskaloosa

Crisis Intervention Services Opens Marion County Outreach Office

Crisis Intervention Services (CIS) is delighted to invite you to come celebrate the opening of our Marion County Outreach Office in Pella. The Open House will be on August 2, 2005 from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at 612 ½ Franklin Street, Pella (above Franklin Street Clothing). Refreshments will be provided. The mission of CIS is to provide support, resources, and hope for a better future to persons affected by domestic abuse, sexual assault, and other crises.

Crisis Intervention Services offers free and confidential services for abuse victims in Lucas, Keokuk, Mahaska and Marion Counties. The Marion County outreach office will be open from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., though staffing will be flexible depending upon crises in other communities. Crisis Intervention Services will provide advocacy and support by phone and in-person in Knoxville, Pleasant Hill, Chariton, and other Marion and Lucas County communities. “We are in need of volunteers, interns, and practicum students who are interested in assisting people in need. They can help cover the office, respond to emergency calls during the day or after hours, and help distribute awareness materials in their communities. Volunteers are able to choose their own hours and we provide all of their training,” said Jan Shaw, Outreach Services Coordinator.

Crisis intervention Services provides comprehensive services for crime victims including:

If you are in need of support or wish to volunteer with CIS, please call our 24-hour crisis line at 800-270-1620.

Volunteer Training Result of Vision Meeting

Volunteers are important to Crisis Intervention Services (CIS). If you have been thinking about assisting CIS, now is the time to express interest in volunteering. Training will be held May 15-18 at The Pizza Ranch in Sigourney. As a volunteer, you can assist victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, and homelessness by providing emergency response to the hospital, providing transportation to emergency shelter or appointments, increasing awareness about CIS services in Keokuk County, and helping staff with other tasks of your choice.

Crisis Intervention Services held a vision meeting in Sigourney last week to assist with program planning in Keokuk County. Two of the participants offered to volunteer. “I already had two others interested and we need a minimum of six people to hold an advocacy training. We have four now and I am confident that we can find two more people who would like to learn more about abuse issues, even if they cannot volunteer with us,” said Jackie Black, CIS Volunteer Coordinator. “We invite anyone and everyone to attend this training, even if they do not have the time to volunteer. We all know someone who has been abused. One in four women will be abused in their lifetime. This is valuable information for parents, family and friends of survivors, school counselors, clergy, law enforcement, medical personnel, and other professionals.” Crisis Intervention Services asks for donation of $25 for the training, but it is certainly not required.

Dawn Stephens, Executive Director, said that the vision meeting was very worthwhile and energizing for CIS staff. “We had tremendous participation from area schools. We all learned a lot about the needs of youth in Keokuk County. There are a lot of children being negatively affected by abusive fathers. There is also an increased recognition of junior high and high school students in violent relationships locally. National research indicates a high prevalence of abusive dating relationships. Crisis Intervention Services was given many requests for various services in schools. Money is always a problem, but we will do whatever it takes to meet those needs.” Crisis Intervention Services already has some programming in place for youth. “We provide violence prevention programs in classrooms, at youth groups, and the Keokuk County SIEDA nest groups, upon request. We focus on respect and comparing healthy and unhealthy relationships as well as indicators of potentially abusive dating relationships. The materials are all age-appropriate,” said Shanna Dillon, Sexual Assault Services Coordinator. “I also provide support groups and individual crisis counseling for youth. If a school calls us, we will get an advocate there as soon as we can – sometimes the situation requires an immediate response and we do what we have to do to get there.”

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April has been declared Sexual Assault Awareness month in Iowa by Governor Vilsak. This is a time set aside to focus our efforts towards sexual assault awareness. The purpose is to emphasize the need for our communities to get involved, to help reduce sexual assault through public education, to change attitudes, and to increase community support for agencies providing sexual assault crisis services. There are 32 sexual assault centers in Iowa that provide services to victims 24 hours a day. Crisis Intervention Services assists survivors in Mahaska and Keokuk counties. The Ottumwa Crisis Center & Women’s Shelter serves Appanoose, Davis, Jefferson, Monroe, Wapello, and Wayne counties. Turning Point serves Marion and Lucas counties. For support services or to learn how you can help, contact Crisis Intervention Services at 641-673-5499 or 1-800-270-1620 or the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.

Whether you are a survivor or know a survivor, sexual assault is a crime that affects everyone in some form or another. Also sexual assault is a crime that happens too frequently. According to a recent study, one in eight Iowa women will be victimized in their lifetime. In Mahaska and Keokuk counties there were over 50 sexual assaults reported to Crisis Intervention Services alone over the last year.

Crisis Intervention Services has several awareness activities planned for the month. The organization is conducting a food drive for shelter residents, many of whom have been sexually assaulted at some time in their lives, selling Mother’s Day cards and cookbooks, and displaying their Clothesline Project in various locations. They are also encouraging community citizens to participate in the Statewide Candlelight Vigil to honor those affected by sexual assault and display a lit or electric candle outside the door or window of your homes at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5th. Help us light up the state!

For more information contact Shanna Dillon, Sexual Assault Services Coordinator, Crisis Intervention Services, 641-673-0336 x12

National Day to End Sexual Violence

Help us light up the state! Tuesday April 5, 2005 has been designated the National Day to End Sexual Violence. Be a part of the Statewide Candlelight Vigil to honor the strength of survivors, the support of their loved ones, and the power of healing. We are asking for your support to help light up Iowa by placing a candle outside your door or in your window at 7:30 p.m. to signal your support for survivors of sexual assault.

Keokuk County CIS Vision Meeting

You are invited to a vision meeting for Crisis Intervention Services. As you may know, Crisis Intervention Services provides free and confidential services for victims of crime in Keokuk County. Our mission is to provide support, resources, and hope for a better future to persons affected by domestic abuse, sexual assault, and other crises. We serve approximately 40 crime victims every year in Keokuk County.

What: CIS Vision Meeting
When: Wednesday, April 27, 2005 @ noon
Where: Pizza Ranch, 416 West Jackson, Sigourney
Who: All concerned citizens

We are asking those who plan to attend to pre-register by April 25, 2005, if at all possible. Please contact me at 641-673-0336 x11 or dawn@cismc.org or Jeff Shaw at 641-673-5499 or jeff@cismc.org to notify us of your intent as I will be out of town from April 19-24.

We have scheduled this vision meeting for two reasons. First, we would like to hear what the needs of crime victims are from those involved in the communities. Second, we would like to provide information about CIS and its services. We hope that this will assist CIS with increasing the number of people we serve in the county by ensuring that we are providing the services that people need. Your knowledge of the communities and ideas are invaluable to this process. Dr. Ann Fields, William Penn University, will be the facilitator for the meeting. She has conducted similar meetings for other non-profit organizations throughout the state.

Please consider attending this meeting and/or encouraging the participation of other community members as well as your family members and friends. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 641-673-0336 x11. Thank you in advance for your support in ending crime in our communities. I hope to see you soon!

Advocacy Training Opportunity

Would you like more information and knowledge about domestic abuse and sexual assault victimization issues? Crisis Intervention Services is offering a Level I Advocacy Training on Feb 16-19, 2005 from 6-10 p.m. on weeknights and from 8-6 on Saturday. The training fee is only $25, including CEU’s, and scholarships are available.

This training is valuable for service providers including teachers, clergy, social workers, counselors, nurses, survivors, and law enforcement officials as well as concerned citizens and potential volunteers. “I hope that our advocacy training will increase awareness about abuse issues, so that we can all support survivors in our communities,” Jackie Allen Black, Children’s Services/Volunteer Coordinator. “The information is valuable for everyone because we all know someone who has been or is being abused. This could be the first step in helping a friend or loved one.”

Iowa Law Reforms Needed to Prevent Homelessness due to Domestic Violence

The Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV) and the Iowa Coalition for Housing and the Homeless is engaging in a critical effort to ensure that victims of domestic violence are able to receive police or emergency assistance due to domestic violence without the fear of eviction. Current law does not adequately address this issue, and frequently victim service programs throughout the state, such as Crisis Intervention Services, hear stories of women evicted from rental housing in the days following an incident of domestic violence when the police were called to help.

According to the ICADV Housing and Economic Justice Coordinator, Amy Correia, 26 of Iowa’s 33 domestic violence programs responded to a survey distributed by ICADV regarding domestic violence and eviction. Ninety-two percent of survey respondents agree that this issue is a problem that threatens the housing stability and safety of the families they serve, additionally 77% of the programs have served families over the past two years that were evicted because the police responded to an emergency call to their rental unit. Disturbingly, in 85% of programs, women moving into rental properties have expressed worries about calling the police in the future because they were fearful of being evicted.

In 2003, the American Bar Association formally urged federal, state and local governments to “prohibit discrimination in housing against victims of domestic violence.” Five states have laws protecting victims of domestic violence when the police are called to their rental unit including Texas and Colorado.

The coalitions support the addition of specific language (in bold) to the Iowa Code Chapters 562A & 562B:

1. Except as provided in this section, a landlord may not retaliate by increasing rent or decreasing services or by bringing or threatening to bring an action for possession after:

d. The tenant has summoned or received police or emergency assistance in response to family violence or domestic abuse.

Dawn Stephens, Crisis Intervention Services executive director and member of the ICADV Housing and Economic Justice Taskforce, also supports the proposed changes to the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Law and was actively involved with gathering data about the extent of the problem after several advocates brought the issue up at a networking meeting in Des Moines. “I was relieved that we do not seem to have this problem in Keokuk and Mahaska Counties and I want to do everything I can to help survivors throughout the state. No one should be evicted from their home because they need police protection. This could ultimately result in a victim being killed because of limited options. If people have had this problem locally, I hope they will contact me to confidentially discuss their concerns.”

If you would like to sign an endorsement indicating your support, please contact Dawn Stephens at 641-673-0336 or email Dawn. I have hard copies of the form and I have an electronic copy as well. I hope that we can get a lot of community support for this needed reform. Also, if you would like to join the Violence Against Women Lobby Day scheduled for Tuesday, February 22, 2005, please contact me for more information, as we will be addressing this and other issues that affect victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Domestic violence and sexual assault victim service programs provide a variety of necessary services to victims throughout the state. Programs offer emergency shelter, legal advocacy, crisis counseling and emotional support, transitional housing, and outreach services for victims in their communities.

These programs need stable, reliable funding to continue the current level of operations and expand programs to meet the need for services. Currently, domestic violence and sexual assault programs are not able to provide services to all women and children requesting services.

Our primary legislative goal will remain working toward increasing the line item for victim service centers in the state budget from the current $5,000.00 dollar level to a minimum of $2.25 million dollars. The Iowa legislature funded sexual assault/domestic violence programs for twenty years until eliminating the line item in 2001. In 2004, the budget line-item was restored with an appropriation of $5,000.00.

Iowa’s statutes have not kept up with advances in technology. DNA now allows for the identification of sexual assault suspects many years after the assault. In September 2003, an Iowa man was convicted of a rape and murder that occurred in 1981. He was linked to the case via DNA testing. Had there been no murder in addition to the rape, the man could not have been brought to trial, because the ten-year statue of limitations would have prohibited the filing of charges.

DNA also has the power to exonerate those wrongly convicted. However, in Iowa, if an individual were exonerated years after the fact, the real offender might never be prosecuted, again due to the statue of limitations.

IowaCASA has long believed that the elimination of the statute of limitations for sexual assault – and especially for child sexual assault – is needed to ensure justice for numerous rape victims who, due to trauma, mental anguish, psychological or medical disorders, age, or simple shame and embarrassment, are for a period of time unable to report this heinous crime to law enforcement. Numerous states are moving towards extending or even eliminating the statute of limitations for sexual assault.

Provide Law Enforcement Notification Provisions in Chapters 709 and 915 that are similar to those in Chapter 236

Current law requires law enforcement to provide certain information to domestic abuse victims, when responding to a call for help. The required notice is designed to inform the victim of rights provided by law and how to get help. Victims of sexual assault do not receive such information, despite the fact that their need for knowledge is equally important. We recommend updating Code chapters relating to sexual assault and to victim rights to include a similar information requirement for sexual assault victims.

Current Iowa law allows crime victims to register with the county attorney, in order to receive notice of court proceedings, hearings, disposition of the case, and later, release from prison, escape, and Board of Parole proceedings. Too often, however, victims do not receive the notification they are entitled to, in part because the current notification system is fragmented, depending on the 99 individual county attorney offices to forward victim registrations to all other partners in the criminal justice system. We propose reforming Iowa’s victim notification system, so that victims can register at any one of a number of access points, registration information is contained in a centralize database, and all components of the justice system can access just one database in order to ensure required notice is sent.

Currently it is not possible for many victim service agencies to obtain a national criminal records check. These checks, conducted for employment and volunteer purposes, can identify individuals who have been convicted of sex crimes or domestic violence assaults and help centers avoid hiring persons who have a history of abusing the persons the agency serves. Iowa, however, currently lacks the authorizing legislation to allow the FBI to conduct a check and send the results to the DCI for dissemination to the service agency.

We will be introducing legislation to repeal or change Iowa Code Section 708.2A(5)a that limits the time frame for counting previous domestic violence convictions. Currently the Code allows looking back to previous convictions for only six years. We would like to repeal this time limit or bring it in line with the statute on OWI’s which allows one to look back up to twelve years.

We will work to amend the Code to ensure that victims of domestic violence receive police or emergency assistance without the fear of eviction and provide a civil penalty for violations of this right.

We will support legislation to bring state law in line with federal law so that individuals cannot possess firearms after a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction or while subject to a protective order.

We will seek to enact legislation requiring every department or state agency referenced in the annual report to respond to the recommendations in writing within sixty days of the issuance of the report.

Chapter 915 References to Domestic Violence Include References to Sexual Assault and Child Sexual Assault

Current law regarding domestic abuse contains a general statement regarding the rights of domestic abuse victims. We propose providing a similar general statement regarding the rights of sexual assault victims in law regard sexual assault and child sexual abuse.

Newsletters

Press Releases

Golfers tee off to prevent violence

Purple Ribbon Auction Successful for CIS

Staff and Volunteer of Crisis Intervention Services Recognized by Coalition

What Every Parent Needs to Know About Dating Violence