Comprehensive Healthcare’s Aspen Victim Advocacy Services provides services and assistance to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and other crimes against people in Ellensburg and Yakima. All of our services are provided in a safe and confidential environment including crisis intervention, safety planning, assistance accessing community resources, and legal and medical advocacy.

Our services are FREE and CONFIDENTIAL. We believe in the value of primary prevention and provide comprehensive activities that promote attitudes, behaviors, and social conditions aimed at preventing domestic violence and sexual violence before it happens. All of our services are culturally and linguistically appropriate and specific to our local communities.

Our Commitment

Aspen Victim Advocacy Services is dedicated to the elimination of domestic violence, sexual violence and all forms of oppression through social change. Aspen is committed to breaking the cycle of violence through education, advocacy, empowerment, role modeling, promoting non-violent relationships, and taking a leadership role within the community and state.

Aspen aims to end individual and institutional oppression based on gender, ethnicity, economic status, cultural origin, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, physical or mental capabilities, or abuse history.

Human Trafficking Myths and Misconceptions

Myth: Human trafficking is always a violent crime

Fact: Human trafficking does not always involve kidnapping or physical force to put someone into a situation. Traffickers may use psychological tactics such as, tricking, defrauding, manipulating or threatening victims into providing commercial sex or exploitative labor.1

Myth: Human Trafficking is only Sex trafficking

Fact: Human trafficking is the use of force, fraud or coercion to get another person to provide labor or commercial sex. Worldwide, experts believe there are more situations of labor trafficking than of sex trafficking, but there is much wider awareness of sex trafficking in the U.S. than of labor trafficking2. 

Myth: Only women and girls can be victims and survivors of human trafficking

Fact: Men and boys can also be victims of human and sex trafficking. LGBTQ boys and young men are seen as particularly vulnerable to trafficking.3 

1Myths, facts, and statistics – Polaris. (2018, November 7). Polaris – Polaris Works to Reshape the Systems That Allow for Sex and Labor Trafficking in North America and Operates the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline; Polaris. https://polarisproject.org/myths-facts-and-statistics/

2Myths, facts, and statistics – Polaris. (2018, November 7). Polaris – Polaris Works to Reshape the Systems That Allow for Sex and Labor Trafficking in North America and Operates the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline; Polaris. https://polarisproject.org/myths-facts-and-statistics/

3Myths, facts, and statistics – Polaris. (2018, November 7). Polaris – Polaris Works to Reshape the Systems That Allow for Sex and Labor Trafficking in North America and Operates the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline; Polaris. https://polarisproject.org/myths-facts-and-statistics/

 

Aspen Principles

We seek to aid survivors in attaining power over decisions and actions in their own lives. We support survivors by equipping them with the tools they need in order to become assertive and confident in their ability to advocate for themselves.

The foundation of respect is having an appreciation of individual differences and an understanding of cultural and ethnic diversity. We show respect by honoring individuals, exhibiting care, concern, and consideration for their needs and feelings.

We seek to provide an emotionally and physically safe space where survivors have the opportunity to share their most intimate information with the knowledge that we will guard that information to the very best of our ability.

Empathy is the ability to sense other people’s emotions, coupled with the ability to imagine what someone else is thinking or feeling. Empathy is important to us so we can truly connect with others by allowing them to feel, to be fully heard, and accepted.

Additional Resources

Creation and History  

1974 – Ellensburg Rape Relief was established by five women who were in the process of researching rape and what communities were doing about the problem. They began to plan services for victims and to share what they had learned about rape with the community.

March of 1975 -Ellensburg Rape Relief began offering a 24-hour crisis intervention services to victims of sexual assault. They also offered services to victims families and friends, follow up services for primary victims, community education, and information and referral.

1978 – Family Violence Task Force of Kittitas County was organized to respond to the needs of victims of domestic violence. Fifty people began the process of funding safe homes and developing a telephone information and service program to be staffed by volunteers.

1980 – The two groups merged, joined Comprehensive Healthcare (then known as Central Washington Comprehensive Mental Health).

2015 – Yakima Sexual Assault Services changed their name to Aspen Victim Advocacy Services

2015 -ASPEN (Abuse Support Prevention Education Now) changed the name and we became Aspen Victim Advocacy Services of Kittitas County.

2015 – Central Washington Comprehensive Mental Health changed their name to Comprehensive Healthcare

SERVICES ARE PROVIDED IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS:

Yakima County
402 S. 4th Avenue
Yakima, WA 98902
(509) 575-4084

Hotline

Kittitas County
220 W. 4th Avenue
Ellensburg, WA 98926
(509) 925-9384

Hotline