Tribal resources go mobile: A quick tour of the free NCTCC App
Although COVID-19 has disrupted in-person delivery of services to victims of crime, the NCTCC App helps bridge the gap by providing a useful library of resources right on your mobile device. The NCTCC App is packed with useful information that helps keep victims connected to important services and support networks. You may want to download the free NCTCC App so that you can interact with each feature as you read this article.
Learn about tribal justice resources
The Tribal Justice Resources section contains telephone numbers and web links so that victims and advocates can quickly locate resources for the following tribes:
Bear River Band
Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation
Trinidad Rancheria
Quartz Valley Indian Reservation
Hoopa Valley Tribe
Yurok Tribe
Blue Lake Rancheria
Elk Valley Rancheria
Karuk Tribe
Big Lagoon Rancheria
Resighini Rancheria
Wiyot Tribe (Table Bluff)
You can also use the feedback link in this section to tell us about your experience with the NCTCC App. We check links and telephone numbers often, and if you happen to find a link or phone number that is not working you can use the feedback link to let us know.
Learn about safety plans, then make one
In the Safety section, you can learn about safety plans, why they are necessary, and how to make one. You can make a safety plan for yourself, your children, and teens and learn about the warning signs of domestic abuse, human trafficking, stalking/harassment, and elder abuse. This section also includes information about how to be safe when using mobile devices and the internet.
Learn about victim self-care
The Self-Care section provides information about different aspects of self-care. You can read and watch YouTube videos about the effects of historic trauma on victims of crime, learn about the role of victim advocates and assistance providers in tribal communities, and learn about trauma-informed services. You can discover the how imbalance may be experienced physically, emotionally and mentally while you learn about approaches to restoring balance through culture, food and water, education and career, exercise, financial assistance, sleep, safety, parenting and respite care, counseling, journaling, meditation, sobriety, and healthy self-talk. This section also includes a list of self-care ideas for the body, mind, and soul.
Learn about California and national resources
In the California and National Resources section you will find contact information for law enforcement and social service organizations in Humboldt, Siskiyou, Del Norte, Curry, and Trinity Counties. National resources include emergency, legal, and social welfare services for the general population as well as organizations that help specific populations such as children, teens, differently-abled individuals, women of color, Latina/Latino, immigrant, Indigenous women, African-American, LGBT and gender non-conforming individuals, elders, and men.
Learn about your rights
The Your Rights section explains general victim rights in easily understood language. Here you can read the California Victims’ Bill of Rights (also referred to as Marsy’s Law); view short videos that provide basic information about victims’ rights; learn about exercising victim rights and obtaining attorney representation and compensation; discover when victim rights begin and end; and obtain information about who the State of California considers a crime victim.
Learn how the criminal justice system works
In Criminal Justice System you can learn about the justice process and how it can vary depending upon whether the crime occurred on land governed by a tribe or by a state. Use the confidential questionnaire to determine how and to whom a crime can be reported and what you can to do to keep yourself and your family safe after you have reported crime. You can also learn about what to expect after you report a crime as well as the post-reporting process, which may include: investigation, pre-trial process, bail, arraignment, plea bargains, trial, acquittal, conviction, sentencing, and post-sentencing.
The NCTCC App has been created to be a useful tool for both tribal victims of crime and the advocates that provide victim services to tribal members. Remember that the NCTCC App is free. There are no hidden charges, add-on pay features, or subscriptions. We never require your identifying information and all your activity is stored on your device to protect your confidentiality and safety.
Let us know if you find the App useful or have requests for features.
If you would like more information about the NCTCC App or would like to set up a staff training session please contact Cynthia Boshell (cboshell@nctcc.org) or Jake Swamp (jswamp@nctcc.org).
- Published in Uncategorized
During COVID-19 victims and advocates can access resources using the NCTCC App
By Cynthia Boshell, NCTCC Project Specialist
During this time of uncertainty, change, and isolation, Northern California Tribal Court Coalition remains committed to supporting victims and service providers.
Many families in Northern California live in isolation, often in survivalist mode. In remote areas, domestic violence and sexual assault are commonplace and mostly unreported. While California’s Stay-At-Home order may not significantly alter the day-to-day routine of families living off the grid, crisis and isolation affect everyone, no matter their living situation.
Crisis amplifies stress. Isolation separates vulnerable victims from family, friends, and advocates. When crisis and isolation combine, the risk of intimate partner violence soars. Adding boredom, substance abuse, lost employment (even temporarily) and the inability to obtain needed resources create conditions that can be dangerous for victims who are confined with their abusers. Quarantines, shelter-in-place, and stay-at-home orders issued by the authorities are meant to protect against the spread of COVID-19 can be used by abusers as an opportunity to engage in more violence.
Abusers use violence to humiliate and oppress victims. The National Domestic Violence Hotline has reported an increase in the number of calls about abusers who exploit their victims’ fears using COVID-19 to isolate victims from their support networks. Among threats that victims report are loss of their homes, children, financial resources, and medical assistance if they become ill. These threats are ways to coerce victims into remaining with their abusers and isolating them from family, friends, and support networks.
Generally, Native American women experience the highest rate of violence than any other group in the United States. If you are in an abusive relationship, it is important to plan for your safety. Although California is under a mandatory Stay-At-Home order, you can still plan to protect yourself from violence. You can:
> Decide who you will rely on for help.
> Decide who you will check-in with, and how often.
> Know how you will contact your support people if you are in danger.
> Decide on signals you can use, and which messages and/or code words you can use to signal your need for help.
> Learn how you will reach out for resources if necessary.
> Be informed about what you can and cannot do under the California Stay At Home Order. You can find the latest information here.
Recognize that you are an expert on your unique situation. Do what you need to do to survive. Be sure to follow your safety plan and check-in with your contact person at regular intervals as agreed. If your home becomes violent, call 911 to access first responders. Even though support group meetings may be canceled during this time, domestic violence shelters remain open and hotlines are available 24/7. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 during the COVID-19 crisis at 1-800-799-7233. If you are unable to speak safely you can log onto thehotline.org or text LOVEIS to 22522.
The NCTCC App also contains local resources, emergency responder phone numbers, and contact information for tribal and culturally-sensitive advocacy organizations. Download the NCTCC App here to get help with your safety plan, discover resources near you, learn about self-care and safety, find out about your rights, and connect to advocates who can help you.
You are not alone.
UPDATE: April 8, 2020.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline reports that since March 16, 2020, it’s hotline has received 2,345 calls in which COVID-19 was cited as a condition of abuse. Despite isolation, victims still have options to access help. The hotline phone number is 1-800-799-7233. To prevent an abusive partner overhearing a call victims can text or chat with the hotline online. Log onto thehotline.org or text LOVEIS to 22522.
Links to sources for this article
Time Online
Center for Court Innovation
World Health Organization
NDVH
California Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response
Forbes
If you are a victim advocate or provide victim support and would like to demo the NCTCC App, contact Cynthia Boshell at cboshell@nctcc.org or Jake Swamp at jswamp@nctcc.org.
- Published in Above the fold, Uncategorized