GADV Men’s Tailgate Party 2017 – Casino Royale
Nearly 200 men attended the 6th Annual Gentle’men Against Domestic Violence® Men’s Tailgate Party, Monday, Jan. 23, 2017, at Bay Colony Golf Club. The theme for the evening was Casino Royale and attendees enjoyed a variety of casino-styled games, dinner, presentation and a Cigar & Scotch lounge.
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Thank You to Our 2017 SPONSORS
PLATINUM SPONSORS
Benson Blackburn ~ Johnsonville Sausage
Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation
GOLD SPONSOR
Northern Trust
SILVER SPONSORS
Peter & Erika Aron
BRONZE SPONSORS
The Ahuja Foundation ~ Bob Cahners ~ William & Debra Cary
John & Georgia DallePezze ~ The Jessee Family ~ John & Barbara Jordan
Dennis Ling & Janice Teal ~ Don & Bonnie Rauch ~ Bob & Karen Scott
Frank & Mary Jane Semcer ~ Bill & Donna Waltrip
COPPER SPONSORS
BNY Mellon Wealth Management ~ Morton Cohn ~ Bernie & Mary Ann Craig
Thomas Leipzig ~ Lutgert Insurance ~ Mercedes-Benz of Naples
Thomas Riley Artisans’ Guild ~ Sam & Karen Smith
BRASS SPONSORS
George Franks ~ Ned & Cynthia Lautenbach
Russell & Gail Smith ~ Barry “Z’ & Leslie Zell
CASINO TABLE SPONSORS
Ronald Balser ~ John Browning ~ Clive Daniel Home ~ Dante DiSabato
Marsh Private Client Services ~ Don Redlinger ~ Rejuvenate Medical Spa and Laser
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CLICK ON THE THUMBNAIL PHOTOS TO ENLARGE
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Naples Daily News Guest commentary – Linda Oberhaus
Linda Oberhaus, Executive Director
Naples Daily News Guest Commentary
Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017
CLICK to view print version
Battered and bruised, Lana was 18 years old when she was brought from the hospital to The Shelter for Abused Women & Children.
At 16, she had fled a broken home with plans for a new life with a man she thought was her boyfriend. Three years later, her life was a nightmare of abuse and violence, having been sold for sex on a website called Backpage.
Lana is an American-born citizen. She could be the daughter of your friend or neighbor. She is one of 38 human trafficking victims served by the shelter in just the last two years.
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. As you read this commentary, it is important to note that human trafficking is the fastest-growing and third-largest organized criminal activity in the world, just behind the drug and arms trades. Florida ranks third in the nation for calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
Sex trafficking, in particular, is a lucrative industry. In a 2014 report, the Urban Institute estimated that the underground sex economy ranged from $39.9 million in Denver to $290 million in Atlanta.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, a trafficker can make up to $150,000 to $200,000 per person each year and the average trafficker has four to six girls.
Recognizing the importance of this issue, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office Human Trafficking Unit employs a full-time detective and victim advocate. This unit leads the region in the number of human trafficking investigations and arrests.
During Tuesday’s Human Trafficking Awareness proclamation in the Collier County Commission chambers, Commissioner Donna Fiala stated that during the Florida Association of Counties’ legislative conference, the Sheriff’s Office was recognized as “lead in the state” for its work to stop human trafficking.
Community awareness plays a vital role in the fight against human trafficking. We live in a perceived paradise, but sex trafficking can happen to anyone, anywhere and in any situation. Traffickers target vulnerable victims such as runaways, victims of abuse/neglect and those suffering from mental illness, traumatic life events or drug addiction.
Victims are often coerced with false promises of jobs, or through feigned romantic relationships such as Lana’s. Once their victim is caught in the trap, traffickers use a variety of mental and physical manipulations including threats, intimidation, violence and drugs to maintain control.
Survivors of sex trafficking endure an unspeakable amount of pain and trauma. In addition to serious physical and emotional injury, trafficking victims suffer serious mental health issues, which frequently present themselves after the more immediate needs, such as safety and shelter, have been met. Victims may also face legal battles for crimes they were forced to commit by their traffickers. These criminal records haunt them for the rest of their lives.
The Shelter for Abused Women & Children is committed to providing safe shelter and the long-term therapeutic care that victims of human trafficking need to re-establish normalcy in their lives. In November, plans were announced for the Shelly Stayer Shelter for Victims of Human Trafficking & Domestic Violence. Slated to be built on 5 acres in Immokalee, this $5.5 million emergency shelter will be uniquely designed with a wing to serve survivors of domestic violence and a wing to assist victims of human trafficking.
Unfortunately, few victims of human trafficking ever come forward. They are invisible victims of unspeakable crimes and it is up to each of us to learn to recognize the signs of human trafficking and report anything suspicious.
Please go to naplesshelter.org/trafficking for more information on how you can help identify human trafficking and become part of the solution.
If you know or suspect that someone is a victim of human trafficking or domestic violence, call the shelter’s 24-hour crisis hotline at 239-775-1101.
VOCA Outreach Advocate
| Title: | Outreach Advocate |
| Reports to: | Outreach Manager |
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Status:
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Full-time, Non-exempt
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Description:
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Provide support, counseling, and advocacy to victims of domestic violence
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Requirements & Skills:
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High school diploma or equivalent Experience in domestic violence intervention preferred Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) preferred Basic computer skills Ability to advocate on behalf of victims Ability to perform calmly in crisis situations Training and experience in crisis intervention counseling preferred Successful completion of Core Competency course Successful completion of first aid and CPR class Valid Florida driver’s license
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Duties:
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VOCA Duties 10% Provide empowerment based advocacy for all participants and assess participant needs, assess lethality of participant’s situation, assist participant with adaptation and development of safety plan
5% Maintain and report statistical measurements as required, maintain documentation as required, maintain knowledge of community resources and refer/advocate as necessary, maintain current knowledge of domestic violence, demonstrate an understanding of prevention principles and implement prevention activities
3% Other duties and tasks as assigned by Manager
Crisis Counseling/Support Group Facilitation: 10% Provide individual counseling; crisis intervention; emotional support; guidance; information and referral.
3% Crisis Hotline Counseling: Provide victims with crisis counseling, guidance, emotional support, information, referrals, etc.
7% Facilitate support groups and group activities.
Emergency Legal Advocacy/Criminal Justice Support: 10% Emergency legal advocacy, criminal justice support; assistance with restraining orders, injunctions, and other protective orders
10% Assistance with petitions such as elder abuse and child abuse,
10% Advocacy for victims at any stage of the criminal justice process
5% Post sentencing services and support.
Personal Advocacy and Follow-Up Contact: 10% Personal advocacy; emergency financial assistance and follow-up, assistance to secure victims’ rights, remedies, and services from other agencies
6% Locate emergency financial assistance; intervene with employers, creditors, and others on behalf of the victim, assist in filing for losses covered by public and private insurance programs including workman’s compensation, unemployment benefits, welfare, accompany victim to the hospital, assist with processing requests for emergency financial assistance (cash outlays) for items such as transportation, food, clothing, emergency housing, etc.
7% Assist with filing for compensation claims which includes advising victims of the availability of crime victim compensation, assist in completing required forms; gathering needed documentation; etc.
4% Follow-up contact (in person, via telephone, or written) to offer emotional support, provide empathetic listening, and check on victim’s progress. |
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ADA:
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Must be physically mobile and able to sit, stand, bend, stoop, and lift 20+ pounds. The Shelter for Abused Women & Children complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and support to the Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Shelter is an equal opportunity employer. We adhere to a policy of making employment decisions without regard to race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or marital status. We assure you that your opportunity for employment with us depends solely upon your knowledge, skills, and abilities.
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Immokalee Linguistic Outreach Advocate
| Title: | Immokalee Linguistic Outreach Advocate | |
| Reports to: | Immokalee Outreach Manager | |
| Status: |
Full-time, Non-exempt
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Description:
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Identify, assess, and appropriately respond to survivors of domestic violence in Immokalee. Provide support, counseling, and advocacy to victims of domestic violence specifically focusing on the needs of the rural community.
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Requirements & Skills:
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High school diploma or equivalent Experience in domestic violence intervention and prevention preferred Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) preferred Basic computer skills Ability to advocate on behalf of victims Ability to perform calmly in crisis situations Training and experience in crisis intervention counseling preferred Successful completion of Core Competency course Successful completion of first aid and CPR class Valid Florida driver’s license |
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Duties:
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*Meet Linguistic & Cultural grant deliverables as detailed in current grant year *Attend DCF case staffing of open DV cases in Immokalee and Naples *Work with DCF Child Protection Investigators and CBC staff to discuss successes, address barriers to collaboration, and implement strategies to resolve issues *Provide referrals for survivors with open child abuse investigations *Work collaboratively in the co-located office with DCF to ensure survivors are referred to the appropriate domestic violence related services * Participate in community outreach activities * Attend required trainings
General Duties: * Assess participant needs * Assess lethality of participant’s situation * Assist participant development of safety plan * Maintain and report statistical measurements as required * Maintain documentation as required * Maintain knowledge of community resources and refer/advocate as necessary * Maintain current knowledge of domestic violence * Demonstrate an understanding of prevention principles and implement prevention activities * Other duties and tasks as assigned by Manager
Individual Counseling/Support Group Facilitation: * Provide individual counseling; crisis intervention; emotional support; guidance; information and referral. Emergency Legal Advocacy/Criminal Justice Support: * Emergency legal advocacy, criminal justice support; assistance with restraining orders, injunctions, and other protective orders. * Assistance with petitions such as elder abuse and child abuse. * Advocacy for victims at any stage of the criminal justice process. * Post sentencing services and support.
Personal Advocacy, Emergency Financial Assistance, and Follow-Up Contact: * Personal advocacy and follow-up * Assistance to secure victims’ rights, remedies, and services from other agencies * Locate emergency financial assistance; intervene with employers, creditors, and others on behalf of the victim * Assist in filing for losses covered by public and private insurance programs including workman’s compensation, unemployment benefits, welfare * Accompany victim to the hospital. * Visit victim while they are hospitalized. * Assist with processing requests for emergency financial assistance (cash outlays) for items such as transportation, food, clothing, emergency housing, etc. * Assist with filing for compensation claims which includes advising victims of the availability of crime victim compensation. * Assist in completing required forms; gathering needed documentation; etc. * Follow-up contact (in person, via telephone, or written) to offer emotional support, provide empathetic listening, and check on victim’s progress.
Crisis Hotline Counseling: *Provide victims with crisis counseling, guidance, emotional support, information, referrals, etc.
Community Collaborations *Establish an Advisory committee representing diverse sectors of a local community to address intimate partner violence. Integrate prevention and intervention strategies and services through increased communication, cooperation and coordination among participating sectors • Provide additional community presentations surrounding DV101 & Healthy relationships |
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ADA:
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Immokalee Outreach Manager
| Title: | Immokalee Outreach Manager | ||||
| Reports to: | Director of Programs | ||||
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Status:
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Full-time, Exempt | ||||
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Description:
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Responsible for managing the effective operation of the Shelter’s Immokalee Outreach programs and staff, and for providing crisis counseling and service management for program participants | ||||
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Requirements & Skills:
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v Bachelors Degree in social services or related subject (Master’s degree/licensure preferred) v Significant knowledge and experience in domestic violence v Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) v Knowledge of the dynamics and laws pertaining to domestic violence v Ability to coordinate services for program participants and properly document actions v Ability to advocate on behalf of victims v Ability to work independently with sound judgment v Training and experience in crisis intervention counseling v Professional interaction with members of other agencies v Successful completion of Core Competency Course and CPR/First Aid Course |
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Duties:
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Leadership Skills v Models appropriate professional behavior and encourages other staff members to act in a professional manner v Demonstrates effective interpersonal and communication skills v Encourages active involvement of all staff in decision-making processes v Initiates and facilitates change process v Effectively manages time, projects and multiple priorities v Embraces and emulates the empowerment advocacy philosophy v Operates in concert with the mission, vision, and strategic plan
Program v Direct and oversee all outreach program services, including support groups and individual advocacy for program participants v Ensure all outreach programs operate in accordance with established agency philosophies, policies, and funding sources v Supervise interns providing leadership, direction, and meaningful experiences v Expand The Shelter’s outreach into the community to offer a unique mix of services for the diverse population served v Assist program participants in obtaining legal, medical, financial, and/or social services v Advocate for program participants with community agencies v Develop and maintain resource options in the community v Oversee the development of primary prevention programs v Manage all operations of the outreach v Foster an atmosphere of teamwork v Ensures that staff follow an empowerment based advocacy model with all survivors v Ensure FCADV minimum standards are achieved in all areas of operations Human Resources v Recruit, hire, and evaluates staff based on established criteria v Train, manage and provide performance feedback for all outreach staff v Plan, promote and model life-long learning practices v Promote continuous professional development for staff Program Participants v Ensure Empowerment based advocacy services, resources and referrals are provided on a continual basis v Advocate for participants with community agencies v Provide food, clothing, personal items, etc., as needed Reporting v Complete reports and statistical information as needed to include performance tracking, grant requirements, donors and certifying agencies v Promote clear procedures for collecting, documenting and reporting data v Submit monthly, quarterly, annual and grant reports in a timely manner v Monitor and evaluate the program and uses the data for program improvement and accountability v Operate in accordance with grant and funding guidelines v Manage overall quality assurance process to ensure participant files and documentation is accurate, complete and meets minimum standards
Resource Management and Allocation v Effectively manage and allocate the budget v Develop innovative cost cutting measures
Community Collaboration v Build relationships with various agencies and institutions to enhance the delivery of services v Access and make information available to participants that includes community resources, issues, relevant laws and regulations v Work with community partners to provide a seamless web of support, services and programs for survivors v Identify new frontiers for outreach services
Other v Serve as part of on-call rotation v Available 24-hours by cell phone v Other duties as may be assigned |
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ADA:
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Immokalee Child and Youth Advocate and Counselor
| Title: | Child and Youth Advocate and Counselor | ||||
| Reports to: | Immokalee Outreach Manager | ||||
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Status:
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Full-time, Non-exempt | ||||
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Description:
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Provide individual and group counseling to children who have witnessed and/or been exposed to domestic violence in the home. Maintain knowledge of methods proven effective when working with children. Maintain resource information on services and referrals available throughout the community. Train community and professionals on special needs and issues of children living in violent homes. Develop and utilize curriculum for age appropriate groups of children. Interface with area children’s agencies and schools to maintain effective collaborations. | ||||
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Requirements & Skills:
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* Bachelor’s Degree, Masters Degree preferred * Proven ability to work well with children * Experience working with at-risk youth * Advanced counseling skills * Ability to assess for child abuse and neglect * Understanding of child development stages * Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) preferred; English fluency required * Proficient computer skills * Ability to pass all state and federal background checks and fingerprinting processes associated with the Jessica Lundsford Act * Ability to evaluate and determine appropriate course of action for multiple problems * Ability to make community presentations * Ability to perform calmly in crisis situations * Valid Florida driver’s license * Successful completion of Core Competency Course & CPR/First Aid Course |
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Duties:
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Assess needs of children Provide personal advocacy Provide individual and group counseling for children Assess child safety and develop safety plan Conduct educational presentations Provide individual assessments for children and teens Assess child abuse and neglect and provide intervention and prevention methods and resources Support and participate in Primary Prevention programming Conduct danger and lethality assessments Maintain appropriate records for all child clients Maintain documentation and statistics as required Assist victims in securing needed referrals Determine scope of needs Assist with basic needs (food, clothing, etc.) as needed Follow-up contact to offer emotional support, provide empathetic listening, and check on victim’s progress Other duties as assigned by Manager |
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ADA:
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De-stressing in the new year!
The Shelter is grateful for the donation of two scholarships for a yoga seminar with Yogi Nidra (center). Thanks to a generous volunteer, Shelter advocate Dorota and a resident were able to attend this special seminar on de-stressing.
What a wonderful way to start the new year!
Photo: Dorota, Yogi Nidra and a seminar instructor.
Allstate Financial Literacy Program
Thirteen women recently graduated from The Shelter’s Allstate Financial Literacy classes, sponsored by the Allstate Foundation. As a result of these classes, we continue to see participants meeting their financial goals. Most of our participants are meeting their goal to make monthly deposits into their Individual Development Account (IDA), which will be matched by The Shelter through the Allstate Foundation at the end of the one-year class.
Each month, participants meet with their Economic Empowerment Advocate to discuss personal financial goals, which may include things like resume building, job readiness, repairing credit, English classes, securing or advancing employment, and furthering their education to enhance their skills set.
Participants are also following the budget established with their advocate and are saving money, many of them for the first time in their lives. One participant saved enough funding to take part in the Habitat for Humanity program and now has a home for herself and her daughter.
The program also helps survivors create an emergency fund that will make it possible to leave their abusers. Victims of domestic violence who have more financial independence from their abusers are more likely to leave and remain violence free. To empower survivors, The Shelter has partnered with the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the National Network to End Domestic Violence and the Allstate Foundation to provide survivors with financial literacy.
Thanks to a grant from the Allstate Foundation, participants attend four financial classes in October and then continue with monthly individual counseling sessions with The Shelter’s Economic Empowerment Advocate for one year. At the beginning of the program, participants open an Individual Development Account at a designated bank and save on a monthly basis. After a year of saving, the women receive a match. The amount of the match depends on the funding received by The Shelter. Economic empowerment groups are also held in emergency shelter.
During the classroom portion of the program, participants learned about identity theft, budgeting and saving, banking options, credit basics, investments, car maintenance, insurance, taxes, housing, job readiness and more.
Leaving an abusive relationship is a process, not an event; survivors often return several times before the separation is permanent. Economic dependency is the strongest predictor of a survivor’s decision to remain, leave, or return to an abusive relationship.
CLICK HERE to learn more about The Allstate Financial Literacy Program. For more information on The Shelter, call 239-775-3862 or email sdorfman@naplesshelter.org
Lehigh JROTC continues the holiday collection tradition
The following letter was received by Immokalee Outreach Office Manager Josie Means. Each year, the Lehigh Senior High School JROTC collects food and clothing to assist Shelter participants in Immokalee. The tradition has a humble and heartwarming history as presented below:
Dear Mrs. Means,
“It was a pleasure visiting with you and your team last Thursday. The Shelter visit is one of the most rewarding trips our cadets get the opportunity to participate in all year. I wasn’t a JROTC Instructor on the initial visit to the Shelter, so I asked my department head, LTC Timothy Walter, to provide the following information.
In late October 2014, a Lehigh JROTC student named Isabella Quiles-Rosa proposed a service learning project for our program. She wanted to do something to help others less fortunate than herself.
She reached out to The Shelter Outreach Office in Immokalee to see what we could do to help. Isabella choose this organization because she grew up in Immokalee and had family there. She had personal experience with people who had been helped by The Shelter. She took the lead and planned and coordinated the food and clothing drive that first year.
We, the JROTC instructors, were surprised with the way our students embraced this drive and we had to borrow a trailer to transport all the items we collected. The staff at The Shelter were amazing people, who educated our students as to the mission of The Shelter.
We have now conducted this annual drive for three years in the November/ December time frame. Our students look forward to this drive as a way to help others around the holidays. Each year, the Senior Staff Cadets plan, coordinate and execute this drive. Not only do they get to help, they learn from this project.
Please know the future of America is bright!”
LTC Timothy Walter
Gary W. Carter II, CW4, (USA Retired)
Army JROTC Instructors, Lightening Regiment
Lehigh Senior High School
Marco Island Police Department collects for The Shelter
On Dec. 15, the Marco Island Police Department presented the Shelter for Abused Women & Children with over $1,000 in gift cards.
“The Shelter is an integral part of our community and we consider them part of our family,” said Police Chief Al Schettino. “I’d like to thank everyone for generously donating during this holiday season to this worthy cause.”
The Shelter for Abused Women & Children provides assistance to victims of human trafficking and domestic violence throughout Collier County, including Marco Island. The Shelter assists more than 1,100 child victims and survivors of domestic violence annually through safety, intervention and direct support. More than 68,500 children, women and men (as well as their pets) have been assisted by The Shelter since 1989.
For more information on The Shelter for Abused Women & Children, please call 239-775-3862 or online naplesshelter.org.
YEAR-END TAX SAVINGS OPPORTUNITY
Did you know that at the age of 70 ½, you are required to start taking a minimum distribution from your Traditional Individual Retirement Account (IRA) which is considered taxable income?
If you do not need those funds for living expenses and want to make an impact on your favorite charity and not Uncle Sam, consider gifting funds from your IRA to The Shelter. You are allowed to transfer up to $100,000 per year from your IRA tax free, if the distribution is made directly from your IRA to the charity.
Want to learn more about this tax savings opportunity? Consult with your tax advisor and contact The Shelter for the IRA distribution form by calling 239.775.3862 or emailing Chief Development Officer Cyndi Fields, at cfields@naplesshelter.org.
Thankful for kindness at Immokalee Outreach Office
The Shelter’s Immmokalee Outreach Office is thankful for two amazing volunteers, Elizabeth and Angelique, who coordinated some holiday cheer with donations for participants at the IOO.
“Their energy and initiative is so contagious,” said IOO Manager Josie Means. “They used their hands to make give it a more thanksgiving theme! We are so grateful for their time and kindness.”
Naples Daily News: $3 M gift means shelter for Immokalee
Shelly Stayer
By Liz Freeman
The Shelter for Abused Women is planning a shelter in Immokalee to help victims of domestic violence and human trafficking, the nonprofit group announced.
The 32-bed shelter is possible because of a $3 million gift from Shelly Stayer, a longtime shelter supporter and owner, with her husband, Ralph Stayer, of Johnsonville, the Wisconsin-based sausage business and marketplace.
The 15,000-square-foot shelter is being designed by Naples architect David Corban and will feature three areas: one to accommodate the long-term therapeutic needs of victims of human trafficking, a second area a domestic violence shelter and the third component for outreach in Immokalee.
The location of the new shelter in Immokalee is confidential for the safety of the future clients, Linda Oberhaus, executive director of the shelter, said Tuesday.
“It is a project that has been in our plans for several years,” Oberhaus said.
The plan is to break ground in 18 months to two years after raising an additional $7.4 million, of which $2.4 million is for the capital need of the Immokalee center and $5 million is to establish an endowment, Oberhaus said.
“I think we will be able to develop confidence in members of the community that this is worthwhile,” she said.
The shelter organization has been operating in Collier County for 27 years, and its current 60-bed shelter in Naples and seven transitional housing cottages have provided more than 26,418 nights of shelter, primarily for women and children, this past fiscal year.
A supporter of the local organization for eight years, Stayer has now turned her focus to the victims of human trafficking, and her gift has allowed the Immokalee project to be fast-tracked. It will be named The Shelly Stayer Shelter.
“Family is very important to me so I was immediately attracted to the work that The Shelter is doing to help individuals and families heal from the devastating effects of domestic violence,” Stayer said in a written statement. “It is personally rewarding to know this shelter will fill a significant need in the Immokalee area as well as provide for the specialized long-term care of victims of human trafficking.”
The need to serve victims of human trafficking has increased dramatically, evident in part by the shelter serving 38 victims of human trafficking in the past two years, Oberhaus said.
In addition, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, along with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies, arrested 15 human traffickers and rescued six women in March 2015. Some of the victims were forced to perform 25 to 45 sex acts a day, according to the shelter.
The Immokalee center will earmark 24 beds for domestic violence victims and eight beds for human trafficking victims, Oberhaus said. But when any of the human trafficking beds are available and the need for domestic abuse victims is greater, the human trafficking beds will be filled by domestic abuse victims, she said.
Domestic violence shelters around the state serve victims of human trafficking, but Oberhaus said she is not aware of any that have developed separate housing. The Immokalee complex will have a separate entrance and parking for each program component.
Law enforcement agencies identify victims of human trafficking to the shelter and, while the volume is lower, they typically need more time with therapeutic services, Oberhaus said. They may stay six to eight months, she said.
Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk, who serves on the shelter’s board, has been involved with the new shelter development, she said.
“We live in a sprawling county that spans more than 2,025 square miles,” Rambosk said in a statement. “By providing a shelter in Immokalee The Shelter is increasing its services to domestic violence and human trafficking victims in rural eastern Collier County. The facility will allow domestic violence and human trafficking victims in this part of our county to not only find safety, but also remain close to their family support systems, their jobs and their children’s schools. I share The Shelter’s vision of a Collier County community in which everyone feels safe in their home.”
The shelter staff will not only want to make sure the human trafficking victims are stable but will prepare them to assist with the prosecution of the traffickers, Oberhaus said.
“The magnitude of human trafficking in Southwest Florida continues to come to light,” according to the shelter’s needs assessment. “A recent photo acquired by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office shows a ‘mobile brothel’ driven to farm fields, construction sites and local neighborhoods. The women in the van were forced to have sex with men that lined up outside the vehicle.”
The assessment shows Immokalee domestic violence victims tend to leave the Naples-based shelter within 24 hours, which often places them and their children at risk. They leave the shelter because Immokalee is their community, they may have jobs and they feel supported there.
Between Jan. 1, 2008, and June 15, 2015, the shelter’s outreach office in Immokalee served 1,248 individuals, of which 367 were adults who would have gone to an emergency shelter had there been a safe haven in their community, according to the assessment. In addition, 647 children would have accompanied the adults, for a combined total of 1,014 victims.
For more information, go online to naplesshelter.org/Immoklaee or call 239-775-3862.
