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Human Trafficking in the Pilipinx Community

August 9, 2018

Written by Gillyn Maung, MCRCC Intern

The people of the Philippines have long fought for liberation from the clutches of colonization and imperialism. While most would consider the Philippines to be “independent”, it is still unfortunately in the midst of recovering and repairing past damage. Such recovery and repair, however, have been slowed due to the lasting effects of imperialism, which has put many corrupt government officials in power and effectively destroyed the Philippines' economy. With the Philippine economy in ruins and a booming population, many Philippine....

The Advocate: August 2018 newsletter

What's happening at MCRCC?

There have been a few changes within our Board of Directors and staff. We have some upcoming events and a recent labor trafficking op-ed to share! 

Click here to read more.

Coping and Grounding

July 31, 2018

Written by Robyn Guzik, SART/CART Advocate

Grounding - what is it?

Grounding is a type of coping strategy that is intended to bring a sense of stability and safety to someone who is experiencing stress and anxiety. This method works by connecting you with the current moment, the now. Grounding methods often use any or all of the five senses. The five senses are sight, touch, smell, sound, and taste. You can use any combination of these five senses to become “grounded.”

Grounding Exercises

There is a wonderful list of grounding exercises on healingfromcomplextraumaa....

Labor Trafficking Happens Here

July 26, 2018

Written by Deborah Pembrook, Outreach Advocate

Agricultural workers

Monterey County has a problem with labor trafficking. Just a few weeks ago, we learned of a young dependent adult forced into servitude in a Seaside apartment. She had been allegedly tortured to death by her trafficker. Then we learned of ten agricultural workers found in a field in Salinas. These terrified workers had been forced to live in a small shipping container.

 

Our community is just beginning to acknowledge that human trafficking happens here and that it is a serious problem.

 

Human trafficking has a....

Meet our newest staff!

July 16, 2018

We proudly introduce three new members of the MCRCC team:

    Paola Martinez, Crisis Intervention Specialist

We are actually welcoming Paola back, as she has worked and volunteered for MCRCC before. Paola moved to Monterey from Sacramento to attend school where she obtained her B.A. in Psychology at CSU Monterey Bay. She started volunteering at MCRCC in the fall of 2016 as an advocate. She plans to continue school and obtain her Master's in Social Work with hopes of one day working as a therapist with survivors of trauma. She is beyond excited to be a part of the team at....

The Power of a Poster to Fight Human Trafficking

July 9, 2018

Written by Deborah Pembrook, Outreach Advocate

Sometimes all it takes is a poster to tell a human trafficking survivor that help is available. But posters won’t help unless they are posted where the survivor will see them.

Monterey County District Attorney's Office is conducting a Community Day of Action where volunteers will fan out throughout the community to ensure that SB 1193 posters are in place.

SB 1193 posters are named after a California bill that passed in 2012 that required certain businesses to display information about human trafficking in the most....

Seeking volunteers!

July 5, 2018

Twice a year, we host a comprehensive Advocate Training for individuals who wish to become certified Sexual Assault Counselors and volunteer for MCRCC.

Here is what one Advocate had to say about the training:
"It challenged me mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I can say, now that I have finished and have been on calls, that the training prepared me immensely. It changed me as a person. I grew in ways that I didn't know I needed to."

We hope you or someone you know is interested in becoming an Advocate!

For more information about our next Advocate Training ....

How community impact can change rape culture

June 26, 2018

Written by Martamaria Rosado, Crisis Services Manager

How many times have you heard or laughed at a joke (intentionally or not) about what happens when you drop the soap in prison? See a movie that references a similar joke? How often do you see someone being cat-called while walking down the street? This is rape culture.

Rape culture is not often what’s at the forefront of our minds. However, it is constantly present in our lives. It is an environment in which rape is prevalent and where sexual violence is normalized and excused. Rape culture is perpetuated through the....

Celebrate Pride!

June 6, 2018

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Month is celebrated in June each year to honor the Stonewall Riots, a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States.
This year, Monterey Peninsula Prideis organizing a Pride Celebration and Parade on Saturday, June 30th, 2018. This year's theme is "Celebrating Generations of Pride." This family-friendly community event is open to all and will feature a Pride parade throughout Seaside starting at 11am, and a celebration at Oldemeyer Center starting at 12:30pm. A group of MCRCC staff will be there....