The Ada County Victim Services Center provides services to all who have experienced domestic abuse, sexual assault, child abuse, elder abuse, Stalking, and human trafficking regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, marital status, or sexual orientation.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Domestic violence is the abusive behavior by a spouse, former spouse, person who shares a child in common involving physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, financial, and stalking/harassment actions or threats. Such behaviors are classified as domestic violence even after one partner has ended the relationship. Domestic abuse can impact all people, regardless of age, gender, education, economic status, race, religion, and sexual orientation. It can happen to couples who are married, living together, or who are dating.
If you are in an abusive relationship, or think that you are, support and safety are available. Here are some examples of domestic abuse:
- Physical: Spitting, scratching, biting, grabbing, shaking, shoving, pushing, restraining, twisting, throwing, slapping, punching, strangling, burning, using weapons
- Sexual: Coerced sex by manipulation or threat of physical force, violent sex, a kind of sex the victim does not want, sex at a time victim does not want it, forcing to watch pornography
- Psychological & Emotional: Threats through words (“if I can’t have you, no one will, if you do you’ll be sorry”), actions (stalking, brandishing weapons, standing over victim in a threatening manner, suicide attempts), intimidation (yelling and screaming in victim’s face, reckless driving while victim or children are in the car), criticize the victim, threatens children or pets, calls the victim names, calls the victim crazy
- Financial: Controlling victim’s access to the family’s resources such as time, transportation, food, clothing, shelter, or money, not allowing the victim to work, not listing the victim as an owner on a home, car, or insurance policy, ruining the victim’s credit
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Domestic violence is the abusive behavior by a spouse, former spouse, person who shares a child in common involving physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, financial, and stalking/harassment actions or threats. Such behaviors are classified as domestic violence even after one partner has ended the relationship. Domestic abuse can impact all people, regardless of age, gender, education, economic status, race, religion, and sexual orientation. It can happen to couples who are married, living together, or who are dating.
If you are in an abusive relationship, or think that you are, support and safety are available. Here are some examples of domestic abuse:
- Physical: Spitting, scratching, biting, grabbing, shaking, shoving, pushing, restraining, twisting, throwing, slapping, punching, strangling, burning, using weapons
- Sexual: Coerced sex by manipulation or threat of physical force, violent sex, a kind of sex the victim does not want, sex at a time victim does not want it, forcing to watch pornography
- Psychological & Emotional: Threats through words (“if I can’t have you, no one will, if you do you’ll be sorry”), actions (stalking, brandishing weapons, standing over victim in a threatening manner, suicide attempts), intimidation (yelling and screaming in victim’s face, reckless driving while victim or children are in the car), criticize the victim, threatens children or pets, calls the victim names, calls the victim crazy
- Financial: Controlling victim’s access to the family’s resources such as time, transportation, food, clothing, shelter, or money, not allowing the victim to work, not listing the victim as an owner on a home, car, or insurance policy, ruining the victim’s credit
HOW WE CAN HELP
- Medical forensic examinations and follow-up care are available with a physician on-site.
- Civil legal support on-site to help with protection orders.
- Advocates are available Monday through Friday to help with safety planning and emergency services.
Sexual assault and abuse is any type of sexual activity that you do not consent to.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
- Molestation: offender makes unwanted or improper sexual advances toward a victim, touches the victim’s body in a way the victim does not want.
- Rape: Offender coerces or forces the victim to engage in oral, anal, or vaginal penetration, or engages in these acts without the victim’s knowledge.
- Incest: Sexual contact between family members
- Voyeurism: Offender watching private sexual acts
- Exhibitionism: offender exposes him/herself in public
- Sexual Harassment: offender makes unwelcome and inappropriate sexual remarks in professional or social situations.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED?
- Sexual assault is NOT the victim’s fault, no matter what the circumstances are. There is help and support. These are the following steps we encourage you to take if you are assaulted:
- Call 911
- Call a trusted friend or family member, or a crisis center or hotline to speaker with a trained advocate.
- If the assault was recent, do not wash or clean any part of your body or change your clothes. Do not change anything at the scene the assault occurred.
- Go to the nearest hospital emergency or room or the Ada County Victim Services Center where a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner can collect a forensic exam, collect evidence, document any injuries, and screen for possible sexually transmitted diseases.
HOW WE CAN HELP
- On-site emergency care with a certified Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SAFE Nurse).
- On-site physician follow-up care is available for adults.
- On-site safety planning and emergency services with advocates.
- Within 120 hours (5 days) of the sexual assault a forensic exam can be performed. The Ada County Victim Services Center is open 24/7 for these emergency medical services.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
- Physical: Punching, beating, kicking, biting, burning, hitting, or otherwise harming a child, that is inflicted by a parent, caregiver, or other person
- Neglect: is the failure of a parent, guardian, or other caregiver to provide for a child’s basic needs
- Sexual Abuse: includes acts such as soliciting a minor to participate in a sexual act, having sexual contact with a minor child, making photographic or electronic recordings of a child, or permitting a child to witness an act of sexual conduct.
- Emotional/Psychological Abuse: may include threats, constant criticism, withholding love or support.
MANDATORY REPORTING
Idaho is a Mandatory Report state. This means if you have reason to believe “a child under the age of 18 years has been abused, abandoned or neglected or if you observe the child being subjected to conditions or circumstances that would reasonably result in abuse, abandonment or neglect you shall report or cause to be reported within 24 hours such conditions or circumstances to the proper law enforcement agency or department.” (Idaho Code 16-1605).
You must report to the Idaho Department Health and Welfare or to your local law enforcement agency.
HOW WE CAN HELP
- Health and Welfare or Law Enforcement report is required.
- Advocates are available Monday through Friday to help with emergent services.
- St. Luke’s CARES is a child-friendly facility co-located with the victim services center, where children can feel safe and comfortable.
- They provide children and their families an opportunity to understand their trauma and begin the process of healing.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
In Idaho, stalking is defined as a course of conduct or series of acts or contacts that seriously alarms, annoys, or harasses the victim.
Stalking can consist of many types of acts, including but not limited to:
- Following you, driving by your home or place of business, and showing up at places where you are without your consent.
- Sending you unwanted gifts, text messages, emails, letters, notes, or making unwanted phone calls.
- Making unwanted contact through social media.
- Contacting your family or friends, either in person or through another person, to monitor, gather information, or pass unwanted messages to you.
- Damaging your property.
- Monitoring your phone calls or computer use.
- Tracking your whereabouts, whether by using technology or by surveilling you in person or through another person.
- Repeatedly contacting you in violation of a no contact order or protection order.
- Other actions that control, track, frighten you or show an obsession with you.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Warning Signs of Abuse
- Physical: Unexplained bruises, welts or scars.
- Emotional: Caretaker threatens, belittles or uses controlling behavior
- Financial: Large withdrawals from elder’s accounts, suspicious changes in wills, power of attorney, items or cash missing from the household
- Neglect: Unusual weight loss, bed sores, unsanitary living conditions, malnourished
Forms of Victimization
- Physical
- Psychological/Emotional
- Financial
- Sexual
- Neglect
HOW WE CAN HELP
- Adults 55 years of age or older may be considered vulnerable adults.
- Medical forensic examinations and follow-up care with a physician are available on-site.
- Civil legal support on-site to help with protection orders, family law, custody, tenant/landlord problems, financial issues, and more.
- Advocates are available Monday through Friday to help with safety planning and emergency services.