April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) and we are highlighting the intersections of domestic and sexual violence, organizations in the community doing important work and learning more about one of our Advocates, Landon.

Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom to save the date for DAP’s Annual Fundraising Event this October! We can’t wait to see you there!

Building Connected Communities #SAAM2024

“Over half of women and almost 1 in 3 men have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetimes, and 47% of all transgender people have experienced sexual assault at least once. This type of violence has an impact beyond the individual. Racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, ageism, ableism, and other oppressive systems contribute to higher rates of sexual harassment, assault, and abuse. We must address all abuses of power to prevent sexual violence -- in our relationships, communities, and society” (National Sexual Violence Resource Center).

DAP recognizes that domestic and sexual violence are interconnected. “More than half (51.1%) of female victims of rape reported being raped by an intimate partner,” and “35% of men reported the [short and long term] impacts [of injury and PTSD] from experiences of rape, stalking, or physical violence from an intimate partner” (National Domestic Violence Hotline). Together, we can work together to build communities free from violence.

Sexual Violence Advocacy in the Twin Cities

Ramsey County now offers more options to victims/survivors of sexual violence. In 2023, Sexual Offense Services (SOS), which is housed under Saint Paul Ramsey County Public Health, received a grant through the Office of Justice program to launch a pilot program that would create a new option for victims within the criminal justice system. Partnering with Saint Paul Police Department Sexual Violence Unit, SOS set out to give victims/survivors more choice in how, when, and to whom they want to disclose their trauma. Spearheaded by SOS's Legal Services Coordinator and previous Advocacy Program Supervisor at DAP, Megan Rae has partnered with seasoned Sergeant Vladimir Krumgant to develop a new entry point into the criminal justice process. 

The program is called On My Terms and has two unique features. The first is that victims/survivors can report directly to a sexual assault advocate who will provide the initial report to law enforcement on their behalf. This allows for an immediate connection with advocacy services at the very first step of the reporting process. Research shows that connecting to advocacy right away is extremely important for the victim/survivor regardless of how far they would like their case to proceed. The second feature of the program is the victim/survivor decides during the report submission how far they want their case processed, including the ability to report without having a formal investigation. 

Rae notes that sexual violence is the most under reported crime, identifying common barriers as fear of not being believed, fear of retaliation, mistrust of law enforcement and the criminal justice system, the length of the criminal justice process, immigration concerns and cultural dynamics. She also states that repeat offenders are targeting and reoffending within communities that are more likely not to report such as the unhoused communities, LGBTQIA+ communities, communities of color, and those who also identify as having significant and persistent mental illness. 

In addition to the benefit to victims/survivors, On My Terms also aims to bridge the data gap for populations who historically would not report and create a "criminal footprint" we may not otherwise get. Rae states that we know we aren't getting accurate data and folks are getting lost in a legal process where one size does not fit all. Providing an opportunity for a new entry process may have significant impact on how we fund future services and how we hold those that cause harm accountable. 

On My Terms began taking live reports in July 2023. The program is available for those that are over 18 and the crime occurred in Ramsey County. Rae is hopeful that once data is collectable on the program's success, that other counties will look into On My Terms as an option for their communities. For more information, please visit On My Terms | Ramsey County, call SOS 24-hour Resource Line 651-266-1000 or e-mail askSOS@co.Ramsey.mn.us.

Staff Feature:

Landon Aldana

Landon is a Legal Advocate at DAP, who has been with the organization for almost 2 years. He provides essential safety and crisis services to victim survivors impacted by domestic violence. Keep reading to learn more about the work he is doing!

DAP: Could you please tell me about your role at DAP and what services you provide? 

Landon: As a Legal Advocate, my main role is to help folks navigate the legal system in relation to domestic violence. This includes Protection Orders, Harassment Orders, answering general questions about custody, and how to navigate the family court. While I don't directly advise with family court matters, I can certainly help people understand how to navigate them as well as just general safety planning and logistics around domestic violence, partnership, where to go and what to do.

DAP: What do you think are the most important things for victim survivors to know about Protection Orders? 

Landon: I think one of the important things to know is that Protection Orders aren't perfect. While they work and do a lot of good, a victim survivor’s main priority should be their own safety. And recognize that Protection Orders are not always effective and so folks should take other safety precautions very seriously. Such as just doing what they need to do to be safe. People can identify some sort of trusted community like a church, family, friends, work —anyone they feel they can trust if they need to. If they don't have anyone they can trust, having an emergency safety plan in place is important. The most important things to think through are If they don't have anywhere they can go in an emergency, knowing where the closest shelter is or can they maybe sleep at a safer gas station like a Flying J. Having that plan in place that they can just pick up and go if they need to.

DAP: Could you share how you create safety plans with victim survivors? What can they expect? 

Landon: My main goal is to work with victim survivors to plan the logistics around being safe. So where are they going to go? Who are they going to bring? What are they going to bring? Do they need important documents? Are they leaving the state? Is this going to be a long term leave or a short term leave? The main goal is to walk through the worst “what ifs” and try to find answers to those questions on what their safety looks like and make sure we have that all planned out in the worst case scenario. At the end of the appointment, we can make a printed copy if victim survivors would like. The most important thing is that they just have a plan. So whether it's written down or just in their head, what works best for them is what is the most important.

DAP: It is Sexual Violence Awareness Month, could you share the ways you see sexual violence and domestic violence intersecting in your work? 

Landon: Sexual violence and domestic violence are very intimately integrated. They often go hand in hand. I think that someone can experience both sexual violence during their domestic violence or vice versa, experience domestic violence during some sort of sexual assault. And so I think it’s important to have an awareness that both of them really go hand in hand and that folks should feel comfortable speaking up and getting help for both. That if they've been experiencing other types of abuse, that it's OK to come get services for that. They're not unique to one another. They very much intertwine with one another and that folks should be able to feel comfortable getting help for both, whether coming to a domestic violence center or a sexual violence center.

DAP: What resources do you share with participants who disclose sexual violence, in addition to experiencing domestic violence?

Landon: The first one is at UMN [Twin Cities] for young adults and college students called the Aurora Center. It is a place dedicated to both sexual violence and domestic violence and has great resources. I also recommend the Sexual Violence Center here in Minneapolis. I think those are a good place to start.

DAP: What do you enjoy about working at DAP as a Legal Advocate? 

Landon: I enjoy helping individuals every day. I think that there are a lot of issues in the world and I think that with Legal Advocacy I'm able to just step back and work with one person and we can problem solve together and often help empower folks to take control of their own life. In that sense I feel like we could start changing a bigger problem on an individual level, which I really enjoy.

DAP: We hear you’re a big fan of dancing. If you could dance to any type of music, what would it be and why? 

Landon: I think it definitely depends on the day. If it's the weekend, I really want some party mix or hip hop like most of 2000s and early 2000s dance music. Otherwise, I really enjoy a lot of old school jazz for swing dancing.

SAVE THE DATE

Celebrating 45 Years of the Domestic Abuse Project

Mark your calendars on Thursday, October 24th, 2024 for DAP’s 45th Anniversary Annual Fundraising Event to support essential domestic violence work in our community. This year we are celebrating 45 years of serving the Minnesota community that has been impacted by domestic violence. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Looking for ways to get involved? Click the link below!