NJCEDV Expands Deaf Advocacy Project for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence

TRENTON — Deaf survivors of domestic violence (DV) and sexual violence (SV) often face barriers in seeking services that can accommodate and provide for their unique needs. The New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence (NJCEDV) established the Deaf Advocacy Project (DAP) to ensure that victims have access to these services throughout the state of New Jersey. This critical access is made possible with the availability of well-trained Deaf Advocates who can provide support, information, referrals and advocacy. The DAP Coordinator will recruit, train and dispatch Deaf Advocates to accompany Deaf victims of domestic and sexual violence to police departments, court, social service agencies, and domestic and sexual violence programs. The DAP expands, statewide, the project currently being piloted through Womanspace in Mercer County.
An essential element of this unique project is the leadership of Deaf persons in the development and implementation of the project. The DAP Advisory committee includes representatives of the NJ Association of the Deaf, Womanspace, the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NJCASA), State of NJ Department of Human Services, Division of Deaf and Hard of Hearing and NJCEDV. Lisa Oshman is the newly hired Deaf Advocacy Project Coordinator. Lisa is an active member of the Deaf Community who earned her Associates Degree from Rochester Institute of Technology, has taught American Sign Language (ASL) and served as a substitute teacher at the Marie Katzenbach School for the Deaf. Lisa has been involved in the DAP since its inception as one of the 11 Deaf Victim Advocates who were trained through the Womanspace DAP pilot.
The initial goals of the expansion is to train and raise awareness among DV/SA program staff about: Deaf Culture; the needs of Deaf victims and survivors; how to meet those needs through awareness and technology; and how to access a Deaf Advocate when the need arises. If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Oshman at loshman@njcedv.org or at 609-434-3838.
As we have since 1978, NJCEDV works to end domestic violence, through training, education, advocacy, public awareness and technical assistance. Victims must know that there are resources available to assist them and that our society does not tolerate this crime.