The National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) named the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department (SFSD) the 2019 recipient of its Crime Victim Services Award. The distinguished award recognizes outstanding achievement by a sheriff’s office in support of victims, and is sponsored by Appriss Safety, the nation’s leading provider of victim notification services and developer of VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday). Through the development of its Survivor Restoration Program, the SFSD has established itself as a leader and innovator in the field of victim services.
The Survivor Restoration Program was founded by the SFSD in 1997, and is a cornerstone of the department’s broader Resolve to Stop the Violence Program (RSVP). RSVP is based on the principles of restorative justice, and serves to reform violent offenders through efforts involving the victim, the offender, and the affected community.
Integral in the program’s development is Ms. Delia Ginorio, SFSD’s Rehabilitation Services Coordinator. A seasoned domestic violence advocate, community leader, and a survivor herself, Delia has been with the program since its inception, and continues to facilitate and refine its crisis intervention, support services, and case management tactics.
The Survivor Restoration Program is the victim-centered piece of RSVP and was developed to give survivors the same access to resources, support, and services as their perpetrators. It is a three-step program that aims to empower, encourage, and restore victims—guiding them on their personal journey from “victim,” to “survivor,” and eventually, to “advocate.”
- During the first step of the program, Delia and her team provide crisis management—stabilizing victims’ living situations, as they assess the short- and long-term impact of their experience.
- The second step of the program supports the transition from “victim” to “survivor.” To facilitate healing, survivors confront their victimization through a 12-week Survivor Empowerment class. This can often involve participating in the Survivor Impact program, in which survivors speak about their experience in front of offenders. To date, nearly 1,300 survivors have successfully completed the Survivor Empowerment course.
- The third step in the Survivor Restoration Program, survivors turn their trauma and healing experiences into community action. As activists, these individuals connect with new victims, survivors, and the broader community to promote healing and understanding.
Under Ms. Ginorio’s leadership, last year, the Survivor Restoration Program worked with 114 new clients and 906 existing survivors, guiding them on their road to recovery.
“We are grateful to Appriss Safety for extending its commitment to victim services by sponsoring this award and honoring grassroots heroes like Delia Ginorio who are making domestic violence a priority issue for law enforcement. Her leadership and advocacy over the last two decades has given a voice to victims of domestic and random violence who previously felt powerless and unprotected,” said San Francisco Sheriff Vicki Hennessy. “Delia has changed the way the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department—and more broadly, the law enforcement community—responds to and helps victims, teaching them life skills, providing comprehensive resources, and promoting healing and empowerment for themselves and their families.”
The NSA established the Crime Victim Services Award in 2005 with initial funding from the Office for Victims of Crime. The award has been sponsored by Appriss since 2008. “Appriss is once again honored to partner with the NSA to sponsor and present this award,” said Mr. Josh Bruner, President of Appriss Safety. “The Survivor Restoration Program is an outstanding example of a truly holistic approach to healing and empowering victims of violent crime. On behalf of Appriss Safety, I am proud to recognize the dedication of Ms. Ginorio and the SFSD, as well as the continued success of this critical program.”
Ginorio accepted the award on behalf of the SFSD during the NSA’s Annual Conference and Exhibition in Louisville, KY on June 17.
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