Bridging South Dakota is a partnership between the South Dakota Network Against Family Violence & Sexual Assault, SD Deaf Resource & Outreach Programs (SD DROP), South Dakota Urban Indian Health, and The Compass Center.
MISSION: Bridging South Dakota seeks to improve services for victims and survivors with disabilities or who are d/Deaf by cultivating the capacity of our statewide organizations to provide trauma-informed, safe and accessible interventions through technical assistance, training and curricula.
VISION: We envision that survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking, who have disabilities or who are d/Deaf, will receive knowledgeable, culturally sensitive and effective services from providers and advocates throughout the state of South Dakota.
People with disabilities or who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing are 3-5X more likely to experience violence victimization.
Reasons why people with disabilities experience violence at higher rates include:
- Ableism, Racism, Other forms of Oppression
- Isolation
- Culture of Compliance
- Disregard for People with Disabilities’ Credibility
- Targeted with Impunity
- A Hidden Problem
For more information go to endabusepwd a project of Activating Change.
Liaison Services are Available for
Sexual Assault Victims /Survivors With Disabilities in South Dakota
TYPES OF SERVICES PROVIDED
- Case management
- Civil legal advocacy (protection orders, accompanying to court hearings)
- Civil legal assistance (provided by attorney or paralegal)
- Criminal justice advocacy/ court accompanying
- Crisis intervention
- Employment assistance Uob training, coaching, supported or sheltered employment)
- Forensic exam assistance (provided by nurse or forensic examiner)
- Hospital/clinic accompanying
- Language services (interpreters and translators)
- Long term Care (assist with connecting to services for daily needs)
- Peer Support connections
- Personal Planning (assist victim/ survivor with goal-setting and develop plans to accomplish)
- Respite (connect to short term care to victim/survivor to relieve primary caregiver[s])
- Transportation acquisition (assist victim/survivor with securing means of transportation)
- Victim/ Survivor advocacy (actions designed to assist victim/survivor in obtaining support, resources or services, including housing, employment shelter services, health care, victim’s compensation, etc.)
Who to Contact For Services
| Lance Sigdestad SD Deaf Resource & Outreach Programs 14 S Main St #305 Aberdeen SD 57401 Tel: 605 370 6593 Email: lsigdestad@sddrop.org |
Katie Peterson, NIC, CT SD Deaf Resource & Outreach Programs 2310 N Maple Ave Rapid City, SD 57701 Tel: 605 519 8208 Email: kpeterson@sddrop.org |
South Dakota Urban Indian Health 1200 N West Ave Sioux Falls, SD 57104 Tel: 605 339 0420 |
Sara Krekelberg The Compass Center 1704 S Cleveland Ave Sioux Falls SD 57103 605-339-0116 (daytime only) Email: sara@thecompasscenter.org |
Additional Resources
| Hiring an Interpreter | SD Crisis Lines and Shelters Tip Sheet | SD Disability Resources |
This project was supported by Grant No. 2018-FW-AX-K009 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed in this publication/ program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.