Dauphin County Bar Association to Honor Jennifer Storm

Posted on March 14, 2012 by crpmaster

Information provided by Dauphin County Bar Association:

Jennifer Storm, an award-winning author, speaker and victim rights advocate will receive the Dauphin County Bar Association’s 2012 Liberty Bell Award. The award will be presented during the DCBA’s Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 2nd.

Each year, the Liberty Bell Award is presented to a local citizen or organization in recognition of their contribution to building a better understanding and respect for the law and an outstanding commitment to civic responsibility.

Jennifer Storm is well-known locally and nationally for her tireless efforts in advocating for victim rights. A native of Allentown, PA, she is currently the Executive Director of the Victim Witness Assistance Program. Ms. Storm was recently presented with the Pathfinder Award for Excellence in Victims Services in the Commonwealth of PA by Governor Tom Corbett and was also appointed by Gov. Corbett to serve on the Victim Service Advisory Board.

Ms. Storm, who is currently working to ensure that Pennsylvania improves its laws in the areas of reporting and defining abuse in order to intervene and protect children, said, “I am incredibly humbled. It is an honor to be recognized by an association, which is comprised of some of the best legal minds in our area.”

Established in 1898, the Dauphin County Bar Association is a professional organization of nearly 1,500 lawyers who participate in a variety of programs, ranging from public service to professional development. Members of the Dauphin County Bar Association oversee community programs, such as the Lawyer Referral Service, Civil Dispute Resolution Program and Pro Bono Programs that benefit the Harrisburg metropolitan area. Visit www.dcba-pa.org for more information

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Jennifer is profiled by Epochalips magazine

Posted on March 7, 2012 by crpmaster

Jennifer Storm-Victims Rights Advocate

Jennifer Storm is the Executive Director of the Victim/Witness Assistance Program in Harrisburg, PA.

E: Tell us a little about your background and how you came to be a victims rights expert.

JS: I myself was a victim of rape when I was 12, which was in the 1980’s when the victim’s rights movement was really starting to form in our country.  I did not have a victim’s advocate nor was I told I had rights under the law.  I was pretty much lost within the criminal justice system and my parents basically made all the decisions for me without really consulting me.  They thought by doing so they would lessen my trauma, when in reality by not allowing me to fully engage the system, they harmed me further. I dealt with my victimization by masking my pain with drugs and alcohol.  I was also dealing with my sexuality, I knew I was gay as young as five. I had an attraction to girls and was told harshly by a teacher and then again by a best friends father that I was going to hell for my feelings. I drank and drugged to avoid my feelings and myself.  I spiraled downward in addiction for years until age 22 when I finally made the decision to find recovery.  I went on to attend Penn State University where I finally dealt with my past and came bursting out of the closet right into activism on campus. I became the go-to-gay on campus and was involved in everything often landing me on the cover of the local newspaper holding various rainbow flags and picket signs. This lead me to be a target for a hate group which resulted in my receiving death threats of a very graphic nature.  We were able to find out who was sending them and I found myself once again a victim of a crime, but this time I was informed of my rights and I began to research this whole concept of victim’s rights. I left college and landed a job lobbing for hate crime legislation in PA, we got the law passed and I then moved onto the position I currently hold, Executive Director of Victim Witness Assistance Program, a non-profit organization that helps over 8,000 crime victims annually.

E: I assume you are an out lesbian in your public persona. Has that affected your credibility as a victim’s rights expert and advocate?

JS: Yes very, I am unapologetically myself in every way. I think it has helped actually because one of my victimization experiences was because of my sexual orientation.  When I tell people my story, I am able to educate them as a survivor of a crime that also happens to be about my sexuality, in a way it throws people off and puts them in a empathetic place first before their own prejudice may have a chance to kick in.  I feel like it opens a door for me to have a deeper dialogue about how we are all free to live without the threat of violence.

I am a strong leader and I have found a way to ensure that I am at all the tables that matter within the criminal justice system.

E: You are a recovering addict and sexual abuse survivor, how have these experiences shaped you as a person?

JS: They have made me who I am today, without those experiences; I wouldn’t have the strength that I have.  I am a very resilient person with a deep wealth of experiences that most people never have in a lifetime let a lone within their first 20 years. I believe challenge and adversity builds character and I am proud of the person I am today.  My recovery forces me to take a deeper look within myself to ensure I am honest in all my encounters that I live with intention, dignity and integrity and that I live a life that makes me proud.

E: Anything else you’d like to add?

JS:I am saddened by the amount of addiction that exists within the lesbian community and I know from my years in experience that most of that addiction comes from a past trauma or victimization that has been left unchecked.  I hope through my writing and speaking that I can reach some people and show them that life can be an amazing ride sober, clean and free from past harms

Jennifer Storm is the author of three critically acclaimed books on addiction, recovery and victimization. Picking Up the Pieces Without Picking Up: A Guidebook Through Victimization for People in Recovery, Leave the Light On: A Memoir of Recovery and Self-Discovery  and Blackout Girl: Growing Up and Drying Out in America.  She is available for all speaking engagements, including keynote presentations, workshops, panel discussions, and book signings.

www.jenniferstorm.com   
www.facebook.com/jenniferstorm119    
www.twitter.com/JenniferRStorm

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Sandusky waives preliminary hearing and victims left to wait.

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Jennifer Storm

Today in a move that no one saw coming, Jerry Sandusky and his attorney chose to waive the preliminary hearing in the case of the Commonwealth vs Jerry Sandusky  on behalf of the now ten victims who have come forward with allegations of horrific sexual violence. Often times we do see defendant’s wave their preliminary hearings, this is typically done in writing by the attorney to the courts and it is usually very uneventful.  Additionally the victims then are not required to endure grueling hours of testimony preparation and they are not required to take a day off work and show up in court.  That sadly was not the case for these victims today.

What Sandusky and his attorney have done over the course of these past weeks is nothing short of public bullying of these victims. Each having done their own set of national media interviews where they both have challenged the credibility of the victims statements and had both stated on numerous occasions how much they looked forward to cross-examining the victims. So was it all a tactic?  A ploy in the hopes the victims would get scared and decide not to show up? I believe so.

The best part was…it didn’t work.  It only further deepened the resolve of these amazingly brave young men to stand their ground and speak their truth. The defense plan back fired and today when Sandusky and his attorney walked into court they were informed that there were 11 people prepared to testify to the abuse witnessed and endured.

No wonder they waived.  They know they are in trouble.

But what about the victims.  Imagine the roller coaster these individuals have been placed on over the past years since this investigation began. They have been forced already to recount horrific details of the abuse to their attorneys, both civil and prosecutors, and to a grand jury. But not once yet have they had the opportunity to face Sandusky, the monster in their lives, and tell their truth.  Instead, they have had to endure seeing his face on the cover of every magazine, newspaper and TV news and entertainment show. They have had to worry that every time they leave their home they could run into him, as he was until a week ago out free on bail with no restrictions, they have to worry that the media will chase them and expose their identifies.  In fact, for one victim who was all but totally exposed by the media, he had to leave his high school as he was being bullied, harassed and threatened horribly.

And they cannot speak out publicly, for if they do, each and every word they speak will be ripped to shreds in the court of public opinion. If they say one word that is different than their grand jury testimony, their credibility will be attacked, as we have already seen with the star witness in this case.

Yet today, every one of them was ready to take the stand and face their accuser, they were ready for their day in court but at the last minute, Sandusky had the chance to re-victimize them one more time by taking that chance away from them.  Rightfully, some  are angry, frustrated, annoyed, upset. They had to go home and now must wait again.

Victims have few opportunities in the criminal justice system to be heard. Their testimony is the key opportunity to be heard but they do not have a say at all in how the case proceeds. Otherwise, they hurry up and wait, prepare and wait, and wait.

I do hope and pray the resolve of each and every victim is just as strong as it was today.  That they know their truth will be told and at the end of this trail…justice will prevail.

They will have their day in court, their voices will be heard even if Sandusky take a plea, the victims will have an opportunity to state on the record how they have been affected, abused, terrorized and victimized by their accuser.

I implore the media to allow the victims peace over the holidays.  To let them move through the next weeks free from observation and intrusion so they may try and enjoy the holiday season with their families and friends.

 

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Jennifer Storm in People Magazine

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Jennifer Storm

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Op ed in The Patriot News Regarding PSU Scandal by Jennifer Storm

Posted on November 13, 2011 by Jennifer Storm
Penn State scandal: We must all be accountable

By Patriot-News Op-Ed

BY JENNIFER STORM

Many of us who work in the criminal justice system have witnessed a systematic failure when it comes to reporting child sexual abuse. The Jerry Sandusky case is the latest example of that failure.

Jennifer Storm, Dauphin County Victims/Witness Assistance Program director, comments on Penn State and the Jerry Sandusky caseJennifer Storm, Dauphin County Victims/Witness Assistance Program director, comments on Penn State and the Jerry Sandusky caseJennifer Storm, Dauphin County Victims/Witness Assistance Program director, comments on Penn State and the Jerry Sandusky caseWatch video

Sex crimes are often veiled in silence because they are so utterly horrific — making the act almost incomprehensible. But the victims never stop thinking about what happened to them. The violation is so deeply scarred within their souls that they are forever changed. They remember every action taken against them. Every moment. Every instance.

Surprisingly, not guilty verdicts often occur with these cases, even when juries are presented with DNA evidence and witness or victim testimony. When jurors are polled after shocking “not guilty” convictions, we often hear that the crime was absolutely inconceivable. Jurors just cannot believe that a family member, coach or clergy member would harm a child in that way.

It’s not surprising, however, that people have a hard time comprehending malevolence of this magnitude. It is horrific. But because of the appalling nature, many retreat into denial. As a result, the children who so bravely stepped forward to report their abuse are victimized all over again.

We must all open our eyes. We need to start removing the veil of denial. People are capable of these atrocities, and they happen every day. But there is a message to the victims who have already come forward, their families and loved ones, and those who are still sitting in the shadows: There is help out there.

Advocates, prosecutors, law enforcement officers and medical professionals join together every day to provide wrap-around support services to child victims who so bravely step forward and disclose abuse.

However, we, as advocates, cannot support victims alone. We need the commitment and buy-in from the highest level of government, universities and communities. I am encouraged by recent actions taken by the Penn State board of trustees — including the creation of a task force to review policies related to child safety and its recent commitment to zero tolerance, albeit 13 years too late.

I am hopeful that the task force will not only thoroughly review current policies, but also engage victim service leaders to ensure that the university is smartly committed to a strong zero tolerance stance on reporting violence on campus.

But zero tolerance cannot just be a policy — it needs to be enforceable. I implore Penn State to attach sanctions to any nonreporting of a violent crime such as this. It’s that simple. It is unacceptable to have a policy that is this important and have no recourse when someone fails a child. We cannot tolerate another failure of this magnitude. We must continue to hold people accountable.

We also need to strengthen the reporting requirements across Pennsylvania by considering similar sanctions when a mandated reporter fails in their duty. Consider this: Failure to report suspected child abuse is a summary offense — which is equivalent to a traffic violation. And that is only for individuals who are mandated to report.

But, what about everyone else? We all must be accountable — morally and legally. And therefore, it’s time for our laws to change. When the system works the way it’s intended to, victims receive justice. But it takes education, awareness and a strong commitment to ensure that the system works — and that responsibility falls on all of us.

Learn the signs of sexual abuse. Report it when you think you see it. Tell others to do the same. And most importantly, we must encourage our leaders and elected officials to strengthen reporting requirements and stiffen sanctions for noncompliance.

Now more than ever, the words of philosopher Edmund Burke ring true: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” This past week, we’ve seen what can happen when good men do nothing. Let’s all make sure it doesn’t happen again.

JENNIFER STORM is the executive director of the Victim/Witness Assistance Program in Dauphin County and author of several books on victimization and recovery. She also sits on the Victims Services Advisory Committee for the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a Penn State alum.

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Jennifer on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Jennifer Storm

Jennifer on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer

Jennifer Storm was interviewed by Dan Harris on ABC WORLD NEWS regarding the Jerry Sandusky case.

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PSU Alumni Jennifer Storm responds to Jerry Sandusky sex assault scandal

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Jennifer Storm

Jennifer was recently interviewed in light of the Jerry Sandusky sex assault scandal, as a PSU graduate, she had a lot to say.

Fox 43 News: http://www.fox43.com/news/wpmt-penn-state-alum-and-victims-assistance-director-speaks-out,0,2089376.story

WNEP 16 NEWS


York Daily Record: photo and caption http://www.ydr.com/ci_19281537

Patriot-News: Victims’ rights advocate says Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, others made major moral and ethical blunder in Sandusky case  http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/11/victims_rights_advocate_says_p.html

ABC 27: video http://www.abc27.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6427141#.TrhDfGT1nmc.facebook

WITF Smart Talk: radio http://www.witf.org/smart-talk/the-fallout-from-penn-state-s-child-abuse-scandal

Statement from Jennifer Storm, executive director of the Victim/Witness Assistance Program in Dauphin County:

“I firmly believe that Penn State officials—including Coach Paterno and President Graham Spanier – failed in their duties to report these heinous crimes to authorities.  They had clear knowledge of Sandusky’s behavior since 1998, and never did one thing to protect the victims.  Instead, they protected themselves and their institution.

This entire case is a systematic failure at its worst.  Due in part by the lack of reporting these offenses when they were brought to light; more children were victimized as a result.

I implore any persons out there who may have suffered at the hands of Jerry Sandusky to come forward to receive free and confidential victim services.  You are not alone, and there is help.”

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Victims Rights

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Jennifer Storm

Have you ever been a victim of crime? Do you know someone who has been a victim of crime? Would you know what to do, where to turn or who to reach out too if you were a victim of crime? Did you know that as a crime victim, you have certain rights afforded to you under the law?

Most people don’t realize they have rights unless they unfortunately they are faced with the trauma and crisis of being victimized. My new book, Picking Up the Pieces Without Picking Up and here for you as a guide through that process. It will guide you through every feasible situation you may have to face as a crime victim, not only the emotional healing components but navigating the arduous criminal justice system. Forget what you see on TV, none of it is a true reflection of what you are about to experience.

Additionally what this book will help you with it maintaining or finding recovery. Victimization can be a life altering event and hands down the most stressful situation you will ever face. It is a time when you will need to pull together every recovery tool you have learned or to find as many as you can through the pages of this book so you don’t fall back onto old behaviors such as picking up a drink or a drug to deal with it all.

This book, with the help of positive affirmation and exercises will educate you on your rights as a victim, on ways to overcome the tragedy you are facing and vital lifesaving tools to ensure you do it all without relapsing into a negative coping mechanism.

This book will empower you to seek the assistance you are entitled too by law to engage the process you now find yourself in with the criminal justice system, you are not just a piece of evidence–you are a key player and this book will teach you how to ensure you aren’t left in the dark about YOUR rights as a crime victim.

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What does the “picking up” part mean?

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Jennifer Storm

At a recent book signing, I was asked what does the “picking up” in my new book title, Picking Up the Pieces WITHOUT Picking Up mean?

It dawned on me that not everyone may be familiar with this phrase. In most 12 step programs the term “picking up” means relapsing into an old negative behavior, such as picking up a drink, a drug, junk food etc. whatever you would normally or have in the past used to cope with stress, trauma, life on life’s terms.

Once in recovery, it is often a daily struggle or process for people avoid “picking up” the things that once ailed us. We must be vigilant about safe guarding our recovery at every turn in life and learn to pick up useful and healthy coping mechanisms, such as picking up the phone and calling a friend to talk to, picking up a meeting list and going to a support group, picking up a book that will offer us some guidance etc.

I’ve always said recovery is a learned behavior for those of us who are so use to doing the thing that will harm us the most. Like any learned behavior, we must practice it daily and be reminded of it often.

This book is meant to offer a resource to those in recovery, those who have loved ones in recovery or struggling to find recovery at a time in their lives when they most need help and resources–when they find themselves by not fault of their own, a victim of crime or trauma.

This short and handy resource will not only offer them healing tools and recovery tools, but additionally, vital information to help them cope with trauma, victimization and the systems they may encounter or have to engage as a result. The book highlights victims rights, where to seek assistance in your area, how to initiate your rights and at what point in the criminal or civil justice system and real simple solutions for dealing with the aftermath of trauma.

I hope this book helps you and your loved ones to find solace and recovery at what is and can most likely feel like the worst days of your life. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

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Get Your Autographed Book Now

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Jennifer Storm

Cannot get to a book signing but want Jennifer's books signed!!

Jennifer can now accept online orders via paypal. Just click on the button, choose which of Jennifer's three books you want, how you want it personalized and it will be shipped to you where ever you are!!

Book Blackout Girl Leave the Light On Picking Up the Pieces Without Picking Up Your inscription on the book
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