NOVA counselor invited to accompany international human rights group to Moldova

Joyce Jeffries, MA, LPC, a counselor with Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA), will accompany advocates from Penn Law’s IHRA – International Human Rights Advocates – when they travel to Moldova in March to train Moldovan NGOs, law enforcement and law professionals in addressing human trafficking, domestic violence and immigration issues.

The invitation was extended to NOVA and Ms. Jeffries after she presented a training recently to the IHRA at the University of Pennsylvania Law School on cultural considerations, domestic violence, human trafficking and working with victims.

Penn Law’s IHRA is working with Moldovan and U.S. NGOs to produce a series of trainings for communities in villages and cities in the small Eastern European republic located between Romania and the Ukraine.

The group’s goal is to build new attitudes and knowledge on the laws and institutions that support women, children, immigrants and the economically disadvantaged in Moldova.

“In the exercise captured in the photo, the layers of scarves mimic the burden and sense of invisibility victims feel when they are blamed for their own victimization,” said Ms. Jeffries.

“Often when we try to help victims, we choose words and phrases from our culture that can actually be harmful by placing blame. Instead, we want to learn to be aware of how we communicate with victims so we choose statements that empower. For example, how often have we thought, ‘Why didn’t you leave your abusive spouse earlier?’ when ‘Tell me what you need to stay safe’ is so much more empowering?”

For more information on the project, click here. Or contact Joyce Jeffries: Joyce@NOVABucks.org, 215.343.6543.

Caption: Presenting to Penn Law students are Oana Nachita on left, a Masters-level student intern from LaSalle University, and NOVA’s Joyce Jeffries, MA, LPC. Credit: Penn Law IHRA