FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:Ivana Morales
January 13, 2020 Email: ,ivana@evolveprandmarketing.com
Phone: 973-864-4523
Domestic Violence Shelter Receives Federal Grant for Human Trafficking Intervention Project
New Life Center Partners with ASU Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research for 3 Years
PHOENIX –New Life Center, one of the largest domestic violence shelters in the country located in the West Valley, is excited to announce that it has been awarded a federal grant to launch a research and training program that will support victims of human trafficking in Maricopa County. Led by Dr. Dominique Roe-Sepowitz, director of Arizona State University’s Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research, the three-year program will cover research, screening, referrals and training. The program’s end goal is to increase the awareness, availability and accessibility of high-quality comprehensive services for victims.
“Human trafficking no longer looks like a bystander getting snatched off the street,” said Roe-Sepowitz. “Traffickers are boyfriends, parents, friends who find the victim’s weakness and exploit it. Because of this, the program initiatives will be non-assumption based and victim-focused to eliminate any potential bias and allow them to heal without judgement.”
The introduction of the program is central to New Life Center’s commitment to increase community awareness and create the most effective, trauma-informed practices for helping survivors heal from the trauma of violence and abuse. Other key partnerships that have aided in this initiative include the Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family, regional and local police departments and family advocacy centers.
“New Life Center prides itself on being a highly collaborative organization,” said Myriah Mhoon, CEO. “Our existing relationships with a variety of local agencies and stakeholders have helped us further implement our standards of care outside the shelter, and we are excited to see that continue thanks to this grant.”
The program will be broken down into three stages. The first year will focus on researching the identification of victims, how to maneuver through existing biases and stigmas regarding human trafficking, and the initial planning of training. The second year New Life Center will introduce updated screening practices for survivors and offer more targeted services within its shelter. The final year will culminate in extensive training and prevention services throughout the entire New Life Center organization, including its Outreach Program. Furthermore, New Life Center will hire a Human Trafficking Program Coordinator and Human Trafficking Case Manager with funding from this grant in order to provide trauma-informed, survivor-centered, culturally and linguistically appropriate services to victims who seek services from this project.
The project will be enacted on January 20th. To keep up to date with the organization, follow it on Facebookand Instagram. To learn more about New Life Center and what it is doing in the community, visit NewLifeCtr.org.
About New Life Center
New Life Center serves more than 1,000 children and adults annually through an emergency shelter and outreach support program, where more than 70 percent of the shelter population is children. In 2017, New Life Center served more children and provided more bed nights than any other single facility providing emergency shelter to domestic violence survivors in Arizona. To learn more, visit NewLifeCtr.org.
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