With gratitude for our funders, Life Span has been able to expand beyond our core services to a number of critical projects that focus on the needs of specialized populations of survivors. These groups often require distinctive consideration when seeking our core services.
Criminalized Survivors
Life Span has expanded its support for criminalized survivors—those prosecuted or penalized for surviving abuse or systemic failures—as referrals have risen sharply. In response to factors like changing criminal justice priorities and laws that unintentionally criminalize survivors, Life Span has increased our efforts to serve these survivors with strengthened counseling, civil legal support, and advocacy within the criminal legal system—where they are most often impacted.
Recognizing that around 80% of incarcerated people have experienced gender-based violence, Life Span has developed strong relationships with the Illinois State’s Attorney’s Office and the Cook County Public Defender’s Office. Our Advocacy Specialist acts a neutral third party, not working for either the defense or prosecution. They represent survivors by providing evidence of the history of abuse from the abuser/complainant with the purpose to prevail upon the State’s Attorney’s Office to drop or lower charges against our survivor/defendant clients. Partnering with organizations such as the Illinois Prison Project, ENLACE, and Ernestine’s Daughter, as well as public defenders and survivor-led groups, Life Span provides trauma-informed advocacy, information and referral, counseling, explanation of rights and remedies, legal services and emotional support and safety. Our Criminalized Survivor Project staff follow the tenets of Life Span’s service philosophy: to provide comprehensive support that enables survivors to live without violence, build strength, and help them become self-sufficient.
Human Trafficking
Life Span created a specialized project for survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual assault who are also human trafficking (HT) survivors . Those who have experienced human trafficking need a variety of trauma-informed services to obtain safety and exit the life of HT. Because of the expertise that this project calls for, Life Span has dedicated staff experienced in providing counseling, case management, advocacy, safety planning, and resources to those who are seeking supportive services. The HT Project has attorneys who are specifically designated to work with HT clients seeking legal representation for Orders of Protection, divorce, and parentage as well as immigration representation, such as T-Visas, U-Visas, and VAWA.
The HT Project provides trainings surrounding the intricacies of human trafficking to professionals as well as public awareness presentations to community members. The HT Project staff work with community partners to recognize human trafficking and connect those who have experienced trafficking to Life Span for services.
Survivor Leadership Project
As a critical priority, Life Span has launched a Survivor Leadership project. Upon hearing feedback from clients about a need for ongoing services, Life Span held focus groups and created volunteer group to provide valuable insights and perspectives to our programming. The Survivor Leadership Project has firsthand knowledge of the barriers clients face, as well as the support and resources that are most helpful in the recovery process. The Survivor Leadership Project will engage in professional development, learn the crucial skill of how to share their story, and create peer-led support groups.
