![\"Javier](\"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Javier-Domestic-Violence-Advocate-at-the-Crime-Victim-Assistance-Program-CVAP-848x1024.jpg\")
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December 13, 2017<\/em><\/p>\n At noon, Javier begins his shift at the 47th<\/sup> police precinct in the north Bronx. He starts by sorting Domestic Incident Reports (DIRs) – he reviews about 45 of them a day. These reports document the details of a domestic violence incident that the police have responded to. He calls each client, identifying himself as a domestic violence advocate from the\u00a0Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP).<\/a> CVAP is a cornerstone of New York City\u2019s efforts to improve its response to victims of crime. Implemented by the NYPD and Safe Horizon, and supported by the Mayor’s Office of ThriveNYC, and available in precincts and Housing Police Service Areas citywide, the program has dedicated victim advocates for survivors of domestic violence and additional advocates for victims of every other category of crime. CVAP provides supportive counseling, connections to individual or group therapy, and help to navigate the legal and financial challenges that can emerge after a crime has occurred. Two advocates are stationed in each precinct; advocates that assist victims of various crime and advocates like Javier who are solely dedicated to helping survivors of domestic violence.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes people aren\u2019t able to speak with officers because they may feel intimidated,\u201d <\/em>Javier explains. \u201cCVAP gives crime victims the chance to speak with advocates like me. Advocates can be a voice and are able to link them to services at the onset of the incident. With CVAP, you have someone calling you after an arrest to check in with you.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Javier first started as a clerical intern at Safe Horizon\u2019s Bronx Criminal Court program<\/a>. Since he is bilingual in English and Spanish, Javier was also able to help Case Managers communicate with Spanish-speaking clients. The internship sparked his passion, \u201cit\u2019s something I can\u2019t explain to this day, but something drew me in. By July I knew I wanted to work here past my internship.\u201d <\/em>Javier worked his way to become a Case Manager and was able to guide clients from crisis to confidence.<\/p>\n \u201cBy no means is this job easy, but it\u2019s gratifying to help victims of abuse. I help empower them to do what they need to get better and guide them to the resources they need. From the courts to the precincts, they left knowing that someone was there to listen to them outside of the criminal justice realm. That\u2019s what\u2019s has kept me here for 5 years.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Javier is extremely careful to practice safety precautions when contacting a\u00a0victim of domestic violence. Since domestic violence is about power and control, the abuser is often close-by and monitoring their behavior.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I call a domestic violence victim, I ask if they are safe to speak at this time. If they are, we talk about the status of the incident and any arrest updates. If the domestic violence victim is not safe to speak, I try to give them my information so they can call me back. If there\u2019s any sign that the abuser is near, I ask them to hang up. Sometimes they call back and if they don\u2019t, I reach out to them again the next day.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Javier says helping domestic violence victims differs from helping other crime victims because there is an emotional aspect behind the crime. \u201cYou have to consider that the other party is someone close to the victim. You have to understand that they care about that person. You have to put your own ideas aside because when they leave your office, you don\u2019t know how what you said could affect them, possibly in a negative way.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The other side of being an advocate entails working with law enforcement officials. That\u2019s when his previous experience being a case manager at Bronx Criminal Court program comes in handy. \u201cWhile working at the court program I used to talk to clients 1-on-1 which helped me become comfortable advocating on their behalf within the criminal justice system.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Javier is proud to be part of this groundbreaking citywide program that unites law enforcement and victim advocacy to help victims of crime and abuse obtain justice and peace. He encourages survivors who face challenges such as immigration status, language barriers, or their gender identity to reach out for help. Javier is here to say all are welcome. \u201cBecause you\u2019re an immigrant doesn\u2019t make a difference. Whether blue, yellow, pink, immigrant or U.S. Citizen, it doesn\u2019t matter, we will help you.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n CVAP advocates are currently in all NYPD precincts. Visit our CVAP page for more information.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" “I\u2019ve always wanted to help people in every capacity, and work in a field where I can make an impact.”<\/em> \u2013 Javier<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":{"id":5138,"alt_text":"Javier Domestic Violence Advocate at the Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP)","caption":"","description":"","media_type":"image","media_details":{"width":1000,"height":1207,"file":"2017\/12\/Javier-Domestic-Violence-Advocate-at-the-Crime-Victim-Assistance-Program-CVAP.jpg","sizes":{"thumbnail":{"file":"Javier-Domestic-Violence-Advocate-at-the-Crime-Victim-Assistance-Program-CVAP-150x150.jpg","width":150,"height":150,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Javier-Domestic-Violence-Advocate-at-the-Crime-Victim-Assistance-Program-CVAP-150x150.jpg"},"medium":{"file":"Javier-Domestic-Violence-Advocate-at-the-Crime-Victim-Assistance-Program-CVAP-249x300.jpg","width":249,"height":300,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Javier-Domestic-Violence-Advocate-at-the-Crime-Victim-Assistance-Program-CVAP-249x300.jpg"},"medium_large":{"file":"Javier-Domestic-Violence-Advocate-at-the-Crime-Victim-Assistance-Program-CVAP-768x927.jpg","width":768,"height":927,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Javier-Domestic-Violence-Advocate-at-the-Crime-Victim-Assistance-Program-CVAP-768x927.jpg"},"large":{"file":"Javier-Domestic-Violence-Advocate-at-the-Crime-Victim-Assistance-Program-CVAP-848x1024.jpg","width":848,"height":1024,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Javier-Domestic-Violence-Advocate-at-the-Crime-Victim-Assistance-Program-CVAP-848x1024.jpg"}},"image_meta":{"aperture":"2.8","credit":"","camera":"Canon EOS 70D","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1509541275","copyright":"","focal_length":"50","iso":"250","shutter_speed":"0.0166666666667","title":"","orientation":"1","keywords":[]}},"post":5136,"source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Javier-Domestic-Violence-Advocate-at-the-Crime-Victim-Assistance-Program-CVAP.jpg"},"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[801,356,697,314,92,799],"class_list":["post-5136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-crime-victim-advocate","tag-crime-victim-assistance-program","tag-crime-victims","tag-cvap","tag-domestic-violence","tag-javier","issue-domestic-violence","issue-victims-of-other-abuse"],"acf":{"page_header_title":"","page_header_image":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/silhouette_hero_image.png","page_header_excerpt":"\"I\u2019ve always wanted to help people in every capacity, and work in a field where I can make an impact.\" \u2013 Javier","original_url":"","related_initiative_title":"Interested in learning more about CVAP?","related_initiative_link":"\/our-services\/information-and-options\/crime-victim-assistance-program\/","related_initiative_link_text":"Visit the official CVAP page","featured_posts":[{"ID":4486,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2017-05-23 19:45:02","post_date_gmt":"2017-05-23 19:45:02","post_content":"\n Updated: March 2024<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n By Jennifer Koza<\/em> Survivors may experience many kinds of abuse. While physical abuse is frequently recognized, emotional abuse is also common but often less talked about<\/strong>. Emotional abuse can be used along with other tactics to exert power and control over survivors. According to a study<\/a> from The National Domestic Violence Hotline, based on their 2020 service data, 95% of contacts stated they were experiencing emotional abuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To understand emotional abuse, we must first understand the difference between emotional abuse and conflict. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n To understand emotional abuse, we need to understand the difference between emotional abuse and normal conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Conflict<\/strong> is a normal part of any relationship and is a healthy way for two people to express emotions, identify an issue, and have a chance to talk through whatever issue is bothering them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Emotional abuse<\/strong> involves nonphysical behavior that belittles another person and can include insults, put down, verbal threats or other tactics that make the victim feel threatened, inferior, ashamed or degraded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Have you ever experienced the feeling of having a knot in your stomach when dealing with someone? Did something in your relationship just feel off? When someone feels scared, confused or like nothing they do will ever be right, this may be a sign of emotional abuse.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Emotional abuse is behavior from another person that makes you consistently feel badly about yourself, like you just can\u2019t be you. Emotional abuse is not limited to romantic partner, but can be perpetrated by a family member, friend or coworker. Emotional abuse can make you feel guilty, ashamed, silenced, violated, uncomfortable or many other things. Emotional abuse can be harder to identify since no one else can necessarily \u201csee\u201d its effects like they can a bruise, cut, or a scar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Abusive behavior is often motivated by a desire for power and control but the reasons why that need exists varies. Maybe the person who hurt you didn\u2019t do so on purpose; maybe they did. While it\u2019s helpful to understand the \u201cwhy\u201d, the reasons are not an excuse for harmful behavior- but they can make everything more confusing. Emotional abuse is complicated and disorienting. Below are 5 common signs of emotional abuse:<\/p>\n\n\n\nJavier\u2019s Passion for Victim Services<\/h2>\n
![\"Javier](\"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Javier-CVAP-Bridging-the-Gap-Between-Criminal-Justice-and-the-Community.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHow Javier Helps Domestic Violence Victims<\/h2>\n
Making a Difference for Survivors<\/h2>\n
May 23, 2017<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nEmotional Abuse vs. Conflict<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When is Conflict Actually Not Conflict, but Something More? When is it Emotional Abuse?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What is Emotional Abuse?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
5 Signs of Emotional Abuse<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Help and Resources for Emotional Abuse Survivors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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