Advocacy-based counseling related to sexual harassment, rape, violence, or abuse.

Counseling and Advocacy offered at DVSA - Island County, Citizens Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse

Programs that intercede on behalf of individuals to help them establish eligibility for or obtain needed services when they have been denied benefits or services for which they are eligible, when they need assistance to communicate their needs to a service provider or to otherwise effectively represent themselves, or when they have a complaint about a service. Individual advocacy attempts to reach equitable settlements without resorting to litigation and seeks to meet individual needs without attempting to change social institutions.

Individual Advocacy

Programs that provide individual, conjoint, family or group treatment for older adults who are being physically, sexually and/or emotionally abused by members of their family, and/or for perpetrators of elder abuse. Also included are programs that provide counseling for dependent adults who are victims of abuse.

Elder Abuse Counseling

Programs that provide crisis, short-term and/or ongoing counseling for people who are coping with the emotional trauma of being forced to engage in sexual intercourse or other sexual acts without their consent. Included are military sexual trauma (MST) counseling programs offered by facilities operated by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, which address the needs of veterans who have been traumatized by having experienced assault or repeated threatening sexual harassment which occurred while serving on active duty in the military. Counseling and support may be offered in a variety of settings and may include individual, conjoint, family and group therapy sessions for the survivor and/or significant others.

Sexual Assault Counseling

Programs that provide therapeutic interventions for individuals and/or families who are experiencing child abuse including abandonment, neglect, or emotional, physical or sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, or other family or extended family member whom the child trusts and who is in a position of power over the child. Counseling is offered in a variety of settings and may include individual, conjoint, family and group therapy sessions for the child, the abusing or non-abusing parent(s) and siblings. Separate sessions may be available for young children who have been victimized and for older children in their teens.

Child Abuse Counseling

Programs that provide therapeutic interventions for adults who, as children, were subjected to sexual abuse or exploitation that took place within the family by a parent, guardian, step-parent, sibling or other relative or outside the home by a friend, neighbor, child care provider, teacher or stranger, and who are dealing with the trauma of that experience in their adult lives. Child sexual abuse includes sexual kissing, touching, fondling a child's genitals, oral, anal or vaginal intercourse and incest (sexual intercourse between an adult family member and a child or between siblings) as well as behaviors that don't involve contact such as genital exposure ("flashing"), intentionally engaging in sexual activity in front of a child, verbal pressure for sex, and sexual exploitation for purposes of prostitution or pornography. Counseling is offered in a variety of settings and may include individual, conjoint, family and group therapy sessions.

Adult Child Sexual Abuse Survivor Counseling

Programs that provide assistance for people who believe that they have been denied equal access to employment or that they have been treated unfairly as employees, i.e., that they were sexually harassed or denied equal pay for equal work, passed over for a promotion, denied training opportunities or fired on the basis of their age, gender, race or ethnic origin, nationality, religion, disability, sexual orientation or marital status. Also included are programs that provide assistance for job applicants who feel they have been denied employment because of a military service obligation or help restore job seniority and pension rights which have been withheld from military service personnel because of an absence from work due to a service obligation.

Employment Discrimination Assistance

Programs that provide individual, conjoint, family or group treatment for individuals who are being physically, sexually and/or emotionally abused by their partners, and/or for perpetrators. Included are programs that provide therapeutic interventions for married couples, people who have live-in mates and/or gay and lesbian couples who are experiencing problems with abuse.

Spouse/Intimate Partner Abuse Counseling

Programs that specialize in the treatment of children and youth who are coping with the trauma of child sexual abuse which occurs when an adult, older adolescent or another child threatens, forces or manipulates a child into sexual activity abusing the relationship of power and authority that adults have over children. Sexual abuse includes sexual kissing, touching, fondling a child’s genitals, oral, anal or vaginal intercourse and incest (sexual intercourse between an adult family member and a child or between siblings) as well as behaviors that don’t involve contact such as genital exposure ("flashing"), intentionally engaging in sexual activity in front of a child, verbal pressure for sex, and sexual exploitation for purposes of prostitution or pornography. Child sexual abuse can take place within the family by a parent, step-parent, sibling or other relative; or outside the home by a friend, neighbor, child care provider, teacher or stranger. Separate counseling sessions may be structured for young children who have been victimized and for older children in their teens.

Child Sexual Abuse Counseling

Programs that provide individual, conjoint, family or group treatment for adults who are being physically and/or emotionally abused by their adolescent or young adult children, and/or for perpetrators of parent abuse.

Parent Abuse Counseling

Programs that develop plans for the evaluation, treatment and/or care of individuals who, because of age, illness, disability or other difficulties, need assistance in planning and arranging for services; which assess the individual's needs; coordinate the delivery of needed services; ensure that services are obtained in accordance with the case plan; and follow up and monitor progress to ensure that services are having a beneficial impact on the individual. Case management is a collaborative process characterized by communication, advocacy and resource management to promote high quality, cost-effective interventions and outcomes.

Case/Care Management

Programs that teach people who are affected by an issue the skills that are necessary to stand up for themselves, participate in decisions that are being made about their lives and secure the information, opportunities, respect and services to which they are entitled.