COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION CENTER
211 SOUTH 4TH STREET, GRAND FORKS, ND 58201 www.cviconline.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: PREVENTING VIOLENCE. PROMOTING SAFETY. BUILDING HOPE. WITH A BOLD, COMPREHENSIVE AND NATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED APPROACH, WE DISRUPT CULTURAL NORMS TO END VIOLENCE IN TWO GENERATIONS. WE DELIVER VITAL SAFETY AND HEALING SERVICES TO ADULTS AND CHILDREN EXPERIENCING TRAUMA AND EDUCATE YOUTH AND PROFESSIONALS ABOUT HOW TO PREVENT VIOLENCE AND DEVELOP HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. BECAUSE VIOLENCE IS PREDICTABLE, WE KNOW IT IS PREVENTABLE AND THROUGH AN ALLIANCE OF COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS AND DONORS WE ARE CREATING A SAFER TOMORROW.

PREVENTING VIOLENCE. PROMOTING SAFETY. BUILDING HOPE. WITH A BOLD MISSION TO END VIOLENCE IN TWO GENERATIONS, OUR NATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED AGENCY DELIVERS VITAL SAFETY AND HEALING SERVICES TO ADULTS AND CHILDREN EXPERIENCING TRAUMA AND EDUCATES YOUTH AND PROFESSIONALS ABOUT HOW TO PREVENT VIOLENCE AND DEVELOP HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.

SAFETY SERVICES HELPED PEOPLE STAY SAFE.1) CRISIS AND SHELTER SERVICES REACHED 905 ADULTS; 95% OF THOSE SURVEYED SAID THEY WERE SAFER; OUR MARY'S PLACE SHELTER WAS A REFUGE FOR 121 ADULTS AND CHILDREN WHO STAYED LONGER THAN EVER-DOUBLE THE NIGHTS THE PREVIOUS YEAR (A TOTAL OF 4,383 NIGHTS COMPARED WITH 2,902); AND 13,050 MEALS WERE PROVIDED, COMPARED WITH 8,367 IN 2018. A SHELTER CLIENT SHARED, "THANK ALL YOU ANGELS SO MUCH FOR THE HELP AND BLESSINGS IN THIS TIME OF STRESS AND TRAGEDY IN MY LIFE." OUR SHELTER AND ADVOCACY SERVICES ALSO ASSISTED CONNER (NAME CHANGED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY). AT 4 YEARS OLD, CONNER WAS TERRIFIED OF HIS DAD, WHO COULD FLY INTO A RAGE AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE. CONNER AND HIS MOM ESCAPED, BUT THEY WERE PENNILESS, AND THEY NEVER KNEW FROM ONE NIGHT TO THE NEXT WHERE THEY WOULD SLEEP. THAT WAS PRETTY SCARY, TOO. AT MARY'S PLACE SHELTER, CONNER FINALLY EXPERIENCED WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO FEEL SAFE. KELSEY, OUR FAMILY ADVOCATE, TAUGHT HIM HOW TO CALM HIMSELF AND HE DREW A PICTURE TO SHOW WHAT HE WAS LEARNING ABOUT HIS FEELINGS. HIS MOM SAID, "MY SON IS DOING BETTER ... NOW THAT WE ARE IN A BETTER LIVING SITUATION."2) STABILITY SERVICES PROVIDED HOUSING SUPPORT FOR 15 FAMILIES (WITH A TOTAL OF 37 CHILDREN) WHILE THEY WORKED TO ATTAIN SELF-SUFFICIENCY; 100% OF FAMILIES TOOK STEPS TOWARD THEIR IDENTIFIED SELF-SUFFICIENCY GOALS; AND 5 ADULTS WITH A TOTAL OF 12 CHILDREN RECEIVED FUNDS FOR LAP TOPS AND SCHOOL EXPENSES THROUGH OUR EDUCATION ENDOWMENT MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR SUPPORTERS. A SELF-SUFFICIENCY CLIENT SHARED, "I REALLY LOVE SCHOOL.... I WANT TO HELP PEOPLE IN SITUATIONS LIKE MINE. AS A SOCIAL WORKER, I WILL BE ABLE TO HELP THEM GET OUT OF A BAD SITUATION AND FIND THEIR RIGHT PATH."3) SAFE CHILD VISITS AND EXCHANGES SERVED 595 ADULTS/KIDS, WHO HAD 2,023 VISITS/EXCHANGES; THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES DECREASED, BUT THE VISIT HOURS INCREASED OVER 2018 AS THE COURT IS ORDERING MORE VISITS PER WEEK PER FAMILY; AND 100% OF KIDS SURVEYED SAID THEY FELT SAFE AT KIDS FIRST. A KIDS FIRST CLIENT REPORTED, "THIS IS A FANTASTIC SERVICE WHICH REALLY HELPS REMOVE STRESS FROM EXCHANGES FOR OUR CHILD WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE BE VERY DIFFICULT."4) CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ADVOCACY SERVED 1,193 PEOPLE AND 97% OF THOSE SURVEYED SAID THEY WERE KEPT WELL INFORMED OF THE STATUS OF THEIR CASE. A COURT ADVOCACY CLIENT EXPRESSED, "THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING ME THROUGH THIS AND GOING OUT OF YOUR WAY TO HELP US."5) NEW CHOICES OFFENDER TREATMENT EDUCATION AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURT HELPED PEOPLE STAY SAFE. NEW CHOICES, WHICH HELPS ADULTS END THEIR VIOLENCE AT HOME, IS INTEGRALLY INVOLVED IN THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURT, WHICH IS INCREASING COMPLIANCE AND RESULTING IN MORE ADULTS COMPLETING THE PROGRAM. A RECORD 237 WERE SERVED (194 MEN AND 43 WOMEN) WITH 71 MEN WHO COMPLETED THE 27-WEEK PROGRAM, AND 15 WOMEN WHO COMPLETED A SEPARATE WOMEN'S PROGRAM. THE GRAND FORKS COUNTY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURT, A PILOT PROJECT COMMISSIONED BY THE ND SUPREME COURT, COMPLETED ITS SUCCESSFUL FIRST YEAR IN 2019. 562 CASES WERE HEARD DURING 21 COURT SESSIONS; 82% OF THE CASES WERE HEARINGS AFTER RECENT SENTENCING AND 18% OF THE CASES WERE HEARINGS OF OLDER CASES TO HOLD OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE; AND 108 DEFENDANTS (86% MEN AND 14% WOMEN) WERE ORDERED TO PARTICIPATE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURT. ONE DAD TOOK STOCK OF LIFE AND SAW A POSITIVE CHANGE. PAUL (NAME CHANGED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY) DOESN'T REMEMBER THE TIMES HIS DAD WOULD HIT HIM WHEN HE WAS A BABY TO GET HIM TO STOP CRYING. BUT WHEN HIS MOM TOLD HIM ABOUT THE BLOWS THEY BOTH TOOK, HE SAID, "I SWORE I WOULD NEVER BE AN ... ABUSIVE PERSON." SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, PAUL WAS ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, HIS BOYS WERE PUT IN FOSTER CARE, AND PAUL BEGAN OUR NEW CHOICES GROUP FOR MEN WHO HAVE USED VIOLENCE. "AT FIRST, I DIDN'T WANT TO BE THERE," HE SAID, "BUT THEN A LOT OF IT STARTED HITTING HOME. I REALIZED WHAT I WAS DOING WRONG." PAUL HAS ALSO TAKEN PARENTING CLASSES AND IS WORKING HARD TO GET CUSTODY OF HIS SONS BACK. NOW, AFTER COMPLETING THE FULL 27 WEEKS OF NEW CHOICES, PAUL SAID, "I ACTUALLY CHANGED QUITE A BIT. I REALIZED HOW MY KIDS WERE AFFECTED BY THE FIGHTING ... AND I DIDN'T FEEL GOOD ABOUT MYSELF. I DIDN'T WANT MY KIDS TO EVER WITNESS THAT. NEW CHOICES HELPED ME BE A BETTER PARENT, FROM THE STANDPOINT OF MY TEMPER AND GOING OFF THE HANDLE. I'VE GOTTEN BETTER. I DO MORE THINKING ABOUT THINGS AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF MY REACTIONS." DOES HE HAVE ADVICE FOR OTHER MEN LIKE HIM WHO ARE ORDERED TO NEW CHOICES? "JUST LISTEN AND TAKE IN WHAT YOU CAN," HE SAID, "BECAUSE, I GUARANTEE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE A BETTER PERSON BY THE TIME YOU GET DONE."

HEALING SERVICES HELPED TRAUMATIZED PEOPLE TO HEAL. 1) THERAPY FOR YOUTH PROVIDED THERAPY, ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT TO HEAL FOR 227 CHILDREN AND YOUTH; 50 CHILDREN AND YOUTH RECEIVED 682 SESSIONS OF INDIVIDUAL AND/OR GROUP THERAPY; OUR THERAPY DOG, LOUIE, WILL BE A CERTIFIED THERAPY DOG IN EARLY 2020; AND DESPITE AN INCREASE IN KIDS REPORTING THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE, 89% SURVEYED REPORTED IMPROVED EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING. CHILD AND YOUTH CLIENTS REPORTED, "I FEEL SUPPORTED AND TRUST MY THERAPIST. AND "I THINK OF KILLING MYSELF LESS OFTEN."2) THERAPY FOR ADULTS REACHED 122 ADULTS WITH 1,292 SESSIONS OF INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP THERAPY AND 100% OF CLIENTS SURVEYED SAID THEIR EMOTIONAL CONDITION IMPROVED. A THERAPY CLIENT SHARED, "I AM ABLE TO FUNCTION AND HOLD A FULL-TIME JOB NOW."LUISA (NAME CHANGED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY) TOOK FIRST STEPS TOWARD HEALING AT MARY'S PLACE SHELTER. AT JUST 6 YEARS OLD, LUISA HAD TO LEAVE HER HOME WITH HER MOM AND BABY BROTHER BECAUSE SHE WAS NO LONGER SAFE AT HER HOUSE. HER INNOCENCE SHATTERED WHEN HER MOM'S BOYFRIEND, WHO HAD BEEN LIKE A FATHER TO LUISA, SEXUALLY ASSAULTED HER. THANKFULLY, OUR SHELTER HAD AN OPENING, AND THIS YOUNG FAMILY OF THREE FOUND REFUGE WHILE THEY TRIED TO TAKE IN WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. AT FIRST, LUISA CLUNG TO HER MOM, AFRAID TO LEAVE HER SIDE. BUT BEFORE LONG, SHE WARMED TO OUR FAMILY ADVOCATE, KELSEY, WHO OFFERED CUPBOARDS FULL OF COLORFUL CRAFT SUPPLIES. WHILE THEY CREATED ART TOGETHER, LUISA BEGAN TO OPEN UP ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED. KELSEY WAS READY TO PROVIDE HEALING MESSAGES AND TECHNIQUES TO HELP HER THROUGH, SUCH AS A BREATHING STAR AND A COPING SHIELD, ON WHICH LUISA IDENTIFIED HER STRENGTHS AND THE PEOPLE WHO WILL SUPPORT HER AND HELP HER STAY SAFE. (LUISA USES THE BREATHING STAR WITH HEALTHY COPING STRATEGIES WHEN SHE BECOMES AFRAID AND OVERWHELMED. SHE TRACES THE STAR WITH HER LITTLE FINGER WHILE SHE SLOWLY BREATHES IN AND OUT TO HELP CALM HERSELF.) IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME FOR LUISA TO FULLY HEAL. BUT SEEING HER BEGIN TO BLOSSOM AND PLAY WITH THE OTHER KIDS AT SHELTER MAKES US BELIEVE SHE IS ON HER WAY TO MAKING HER CHILDHOOD HAPPY AGAIN.

EDUCATION SERVICES EDUCATED CHILDREN AND THE COMMUNITY THROUGH 655 PRESENTATIONS TO 7,990 YOUTH, 5,935 ADULTS AND 1,441 PROFESSIONALS.1) COACHING BOYS INTO MEN (CBIM): IN 2019, 470 YOUNG MALE ATHLETES ON 10 TEAMS ACROSS GRAND FORKS COUNTY RECEIVED MESSAGES ON RESPECTING GIRLS AND WOMEN, PROVIDED BY THEIR TRAINED COACHES. NATIONAL RESEARCH SHOWS PROMISING RESULTS REGARDING CBIM. RECENTLY, THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION PEDIATRICS PUBLISHED BREAKTHROUGH EVIDENCE THAT MALE STUDENT ATHLETES AGES 11-14 WHO COMPLETE CBIM ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS LIKELY TO ENGAGE IN ADOLESCENT RELATIONSHIP ABUSE AND MORE LIKELY TO: INTERVENE IN PEERS' DISRESPECTFUL BEHAVIORS; RECOGNIZE WHAT CONSTITUTES ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR; AND PORTRAY GENDER-EQUITABLE ATTITUDES. THE RESULTS PROVIDE EVEN MORE EVIDENCE THAT VIOLENCE IS A LEARNED BEHAVIOR AND THAT IT CAN BE UNLEARNED-AND PREVENTED. A CROSS-COUNTRY COACH REMARKED, "COACHING BOYS INTO MEN HAS CREATED INTENTIONAL MOMENTS OF ENGAGING OUR YOUNG MEN AND BOYS IN CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE HELPING CREATE A CULTURE OF RESPECT, HUMILITY, AND GENUINE KINDNESS. IT IS NEAT TO SEE OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS BEING EXPOSED TO THESE CONVERSATIONS BEFORE THEY BEGIN DEVELOPING THE BAD HABITS OF THE STEREOTYPICAL HIGH SCHOOL BOY'S LOCKER ROOM."2) PREVENTION EDUCATION IS VALUED BY OUR SCHOOLS. 100% OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS SURVEYED SAID CVIC PROGRAMMING HAS BEEN BENEFICIAL. EDUCATORS SHARED, "CVIC STAFF ... CONTINUES TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO HELP SCHOOLS IN ANY WAY THEY CAN. THEY ARE GREAT PARTNERS IN THE EDUCATION OF OUR YOUTH. AND "THESE PROGRAMS ARE DEFINITELY A HUGE NEEDDURING THE SCHOOL YEAR!"3) COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND TRAINING: 7,990 YOUTH RECEIVED EDUCATION ON DATING ABUSE RED FLAGS, HEALTHY FRIENDSHIPS, BULLYING AND RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS; 5,935 ADULTS RECEIVED EDUCATION ON VIOLENCE, TRAUMA AND WAYS TO HELP; AND 1,441 PROFESSIONALS WERE TRAINED, INCLUDING EDUCATORS (BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH A TRAUMA-INFORMED RESPONSE), HEALTHCARE (RECOGNIZING AND RESPONDING TO INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE), LAW ENFORCEMENT (SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE), AND ELDER CARE PROFESSIONALS (RECOGNIZING AND RESPONDING TO ELDER ABUSE). 4) GREEN DOT EMPOWERED COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ENGAGE IN HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. IN 2019, WE LAUNCHED GREEN DOT TO GRAND FORKS, DEVELOPED A WEBSITE, HELD A COMMUNITY RUN AND EVENTS AND ARE WORKING ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM PLATFORMS TO INCREASE AWARENESS; PRESENTED WITH ALTRU HEALTH SYSTEM AT THE REGIONAL HEALTHCARE HORIZONS CONFERENCE AND REACHED MORE THAN 110 PEOPLE; HOSTED 2 BYSTANDER TRAININGS FOR 28 PEOPLE; AND CONTINUED TO WORK WITH THE HEALTHCARE AND BANKING INDUSTRIES TO TRAIN EMPLOYEES AND SPREAD OUR MESSAGE OF NONVIOLENCE.

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