CCVAP’s OPEC, Anu Watts, had the opportunity to attend the NIWRC Specialty Institute: Enhancing Indigenous Advocacy for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Impacted by Trauma, Mental Health, and Substance Use. This specialty institute brought together various tribal victim advocacy teams to discuss survivor-centered approaches to advocacy.

We hope you’re having a great summer so far! Things have been busy here are CCVAP with events and workshops in full swing.

The Minnesota Indian Women's Sexual Assault Coalition hosted their annual Strengthening Sovereign Responses to Sex Trafficking in Indian Country and Alaska Conference the first week of April. CCVAP’s Anu and Nina (Outreach, Prevention, & Education Coordinator and SA Advocate) had the opportunity to attend this week-long conference in San Francisco and came back with a wealth of new knowledge and experiences to share with the rest of the team.

Cahuilla Consortium was honored to be invited to the White House Initiative Native American/Indigenous Education Summit at Cal State San Bernardino on Saturday March 23rd hosted by the California Indian Nations College (CINC).

As many of you may know, January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. In preparation of this, we will explore an overview of some common myths surrounding human trafficking in our country. First, let’s define human trafficking; the US Department of Justice codifies human trafficking as “a crime that involves compelling or coercing a person to provide labor or services, or to engage in commercial sex acts. Coercion can be subtle or overt, physical, or psychological. Exploitation of a minor for commercial sex is human trafficking, regardless of whether any form of force, fraud, or coercion was used.”

This week, our featured partner of the week is one we have previously highlighted in a previous edition of our quarterly newsletter, One Safe Place (OSP).

Our partner highlight of this week is one that many of you may already be familiar with, the Riverside San Bernardino County Indian Health, Inc. (RSBCIHI) clinic system. Found in 1968 on the Morongo reservation, the system is now the largest Indian Health program in the state of California.