Giving Her Dignity Back

Catholic Charities Community Services

4747 North 7th Ave.

Phoenix, AZ 85013

Email: dignityprograms@diocesephoenix.org


Phone: 602-224-5457

Dignity House is a program of Catholic Social Services of Phoenix that focuses on helping women and children who have been involved with prostitution. It was created in 1995 out of the Phoenix Durango Jail, with the intent of helping prosecuted prostitutes progress out of the dead end life of prostitution. There are about 90,000 arrests made for violations of prostitution laws every year (Weitzer, 83). Dignity House has created a great alternative, however, where women can learn how to change rather than just be recycled through the legal system. Although they may not identify themselves as a feminist activist group, we believe they certainly are. As bell hooks has discussed in the past, feminism is simply trying to end oppression. The extent to which prostitution, an issue that is more commonly found amongst women, oppresses those involved is sickening. Most women who have resorted to sex work out of some form of desperation become so heavily dependant on their pimps, it is almost impossible to escape. “One study found that 89% of sex workers wanted to leave ‘the profession’, but without other resources, many find it difficult to become successful independent of prostitution” (Crooks and Baur, 523). This is where Dignity House steps in.

The organization provides a safe house with sober living, proper education, job training, therapy, and protection from their former pimp. While some volunteers work within the shelter, many are asked to go out in the field. In this case, that would be the streets of Phoenix, where working prostitutes can be found. It is a tedious and stressful job, especially because most prostitutes are simply too scared to accept help. Kate Weinkauf, a former Arizona State University professor, was actually in charge of finding these women. She’s shared quite a few stories with us about women and teenagers who have refused the service, but what makes it all worth it is seeing former prostitutes leave the Dignity House with some self-respect and a promising future.

Along with picking the women up off the streets, there are several other volunteer positions available, which is what makes the organization an activist organization. Our goal is to raise awareness and have these positions filled by students. Although Dignity House focuses on helping individual women, the organization is doing so much more than just that. By doing work that doesn’t take much more than a bit of passion, Dignity House is slowly changing the world. It’s a bold statement to make, but if you’re well educated on how dramatic the effects of prostitution are, it is easy to see just how much of an effect Dignity House can have on our society. “Sex workers have many physical and mental health problems as a direct result of violence, chronic stress, and exposure to sexually transmitted diseases” (Crooks and Baur, 525). The world of prostitution is much more complex than the average person may think, which is what makes Dignity House so special. They have taken a subject that is so taboo it is often overlooked, and converted it to a serious women’s issue that needs to be dealt with at a personal level. Instead of simply telling girls not to get involved, they have gone one step further by helping those who have already been sucked in. Dignity House is actively fixing the problem of prostitution, one woman at a time. 

Contact Information:

Catholic Charities Community Services

4747 North 7th Ave.

Phoenix, AZ 85013

Email: dignityprograms@diocesephoenix.org


Phone: 602-224-5457

How to get involved:

Donate

Volunteer- Several positions available

Teach a class at the home
Raise awareness on the issues involving prostitution

 Sources:

Crooks, Robert, and Karla Baur. Our Sexuality. 10^th. Belmont, Ca: Thomson Learning, Inc., 2008. 480-528. Print.

Weitzer, Ronald. "Prostitution control in America: Rethinking public policy       ." Crime, law, and social change 32.1 (1999): 83. Web. 2 Dec 2010. <http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/pqdlink?Ver=1&Exp=12-07-2015&FMT=7&DID=395667331&RQT=309>.

The Silent Epidemic

20403 N Lake Pleasant Rd.

Suite 117-492

Peoria, AZ 85382
admin@purpleribboncouncil.org

           The Purple Ribbon Council to Cut Out Domestic Abuse is a non-profit organization based out of Phoenix, Arizona. It was founded by Donna Bartosm, a former teen dating abuse victim, in August of 2006 with the intention of preventing domestic abuse before it begins. 
          Unfortunately, domestic violence seems to be another one of those subjects that are so sensitive that it tends to be overlooked. Domestic violence is known as a silent epidemic for this exact reason. According to the Purple Ribbon Council’s homepage, more than 75% of women and 67% of teens that experience abuse in a relationship will never even report it. With that in mind, its hard to believe “more than one in three women will be abused at some point in their lives, and more than 15 million children in the United States witness this abuse every year (Anonymous, 14). Our goal is to aid The Purple Ribbon Council simply by raising awareness, and encouraging everyone, whether you think you are directly related with domestic violence or not, to do their part in ending this epidemic. “Battery is the single most common cause of injuries to women, surpassing car accidents and muggings behind” (Rousseau, 23). This means women are being intentionally hurt by those who love them, more so than strangers and freak accidents. That is a baffling fact, however, shouldn’t that mean it is more preventable? The Purple Ribbon Council is unique in that aspect; they focus on prevention, rather than rehabilitating. Most of their efforts are geared towards education, and getting the facts straight about domestic abuse. However, there is a link on the homepage, which can re-direct anyone who is interested in getting involved with their volunteer events. The persistence on education, and these events are what make The Purple Ribbon Council to Cut Out Domestic Abuse an activist organization. They are forcefully trying to end an epidemic, which unfortunately people do not even realize is going on all around them. In fact, this violence is so prevalent, it has made an obvious contribution to the United States healthcare system. “A 2003 CDC report showed health-related costs of intimate partner violence against women exceeds $5.8 billion each year in the United States” (Rousseau, 23). Once again, these numbers seem so outstanding because we are not exposed to them enough. Hopefully, by informing students, not only about the epidemic but also about this organization itself, we can raise awareness and concern for these victims.

Contact Information:

20403 N Lake Pleasant Rd.

Suite 117-492

Peoria, AZ 85382

E-mail: admin@purpleribboncouncil.org 

How to get involved:

Donate

Volunteer at an event

Raise awareness on domestic violence

Wear a purple ribbon to show support

Sources:

Anonymous. "Preventing Domestic Violence." Peacework (Cambridge, Mass.) 36.398 (2009): 14. Web. 7 Nov 2010. <http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/pqdlink?Ver=1&Exp=11-08-2015&FMT=7&DID=1666348881&RQT=309>.

Rousseau, Millie Acebal. "Facing Off DOMESTIC VIOLENCE." Hispanic (Washington, D.C.) 21.11 (2008): 22-23. Web. 8 Nov 2010. <http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu. edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=2&hid=17&sid=310c09ba-7924-4a40-8992-b9eeefe856e6%40sessionmgr112>.

Girls Ranch

Girls Ranch Inc. of Arizona Information:

Florence Crittenton

715 West Mariposa Street Phoenix, AZ 85013 

P. (602) 274-7318 | F. (602) 274-7549  

How to Get Involved:

-Become a Member

-Volunteer at an event 

-Donate

Learning Life, Education, and Love

                 A sister organization of Florence Crittenton is Girls Ranch. Girls Ranch is a facility for pregnant or parenting adolescent girls. This organization is important to be knowledgeable about because Arizona has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates. Young adolescent women are the only people who can get pregnant to add to this rate and specific organizations need to form to help them out. These young women are biologically singled out when it comes to having sex at a young age; they are the only ones in the sexual relationship that become pregnant. This is a gendered issue due to the absence of the male being able to become pregnant and, also, the absence of the male in the relationship after the baby is born. As the article “Welfare Reform and Teenage Pregnancy, Childbirth, and School Dropout” states, “Summarizing the research literature spanning 2 decades, by the late 1980’s, the National Research Council concluded that women who become parents as teenagers are at greater risk of social and economic disadvantage throughout their lives than those who delay childbearing (Hayes, 1987 quoted in   Lingxin Hao et all, pg. 180). This disadvantage is where Girls Ranch steps in to help out. The organization offers a program that includes services to educate the girls on parenting skills, as well as, daily household skills. The “Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention” article describes this program saying, “Interventionists who have designed multidimensional programs have recognized the complex nature of adolescent sexuality and have intervened in adolescent’s lives along a number of dimensions in attempts to achieve the goal of fewer pregnancies” (F. Scott Christopher, pg. 385). Girls Ranch creates social change in this area because they supply the girls with resources and knowledge that no one would give to them otherwise. This program gives the teenage mothers a chance to succeed socially, mentally, and economically even though the odds are against them. In concerns to this course, the feminist acts of centralizing an organization around adolescent young mothers speaks for itself in giving the young mothers a place in society that is formed for only them. The acts of activism through the success of the girls when they leave are priceless forms of education and help that are deeply appreciated by the young mothers. The attention and care the mothers get is also another act of activism because it is simply one women passing down help to another young women in need. The organization takes all adolescent mothers sent there by Child Protective Services, their parents, or court. The organization does not racially, socially, or economically discriminate. On a larger scale, the young mothers must leave at the age of 18 and when they do leave they are confident and ready to succeed in life with the skills they have acquired. In conclusion, it is important for people to know that services like this are out there and in their backyard of Phoenix, Arizona. Organizations like this are hard to come by and should be utilized in everyway possible. The young mothers at Girls Ranch have a chance to beat the disadvantages that are against them with the lessons they have learned. This, in turn, allows the young mothers to give their child a fighting chance in society as well.

References:

1. Christopher, F. Scott. "Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention." Family Relations 44.4 (1995): 384-91. Www.jstor.org. Oct. 1995. Web. 08 Nov. 2010. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/584994>.

2. "Journal of Marriage and Family." Welfare Reform and Teenage Pregnancy, Childbirth, and School Dropout 66.1 (2004): 179-94. Www.jstor.org. National Council on Family Relations, Feb. 2004. Web. 08 Nov. 2010.

Florence Crittenton

 Crittenton Youth Academy

715 W. Mariposa Street Phoenix, AZ  85013

Office Hours: Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm

Phone: 602-274-7318 | Fax: 602-288-4118

        How to Get Involved

-Volunteer as an Intern

-Volunteer at an event 

-Donate items or in monetary terms 

 The Silent Feminist Activist: Florence Crittenton

                                               

           
           Florence Crittenton is located in Phoenix, Arizona and is open to all types of adolescent girls. The organization does not discriminate or racially profile people; it gives the clients an opportunity to learn the life skills they need. Florence Crittenton works towards social change everyday through education and development of the clients. The organization helps empower clients so they can mentally heal and work through their pasts, which allows them to educate themselves and become strong women in their community. With the help of therapists and different types of therapy sessions the clients receive excellent counseling. Counseling helps the clients build positive and healthy relationships in their lives. In concern to this course, Florence Crittenton exhibits feminist work through the empowerment of young women. In the article “Sexual and Physical Abuse Among Adolescent Girls with Disruptive Behavior Problems” they say, “The higher rate of abuse for girls is particularly true for sexual abuse which occurs for females at a rate about 3 times that for males (Gorey & Leslie, 1997 quoted in Stephanie M. Green et all. Pg. 152). With the odds stacked against them, adolescent girls need special treatment to over come whatever abuse they endured in the past. Odds against the clients include economics, class, age and race. In a larger sense, Florence Crittenton helps knock down these odds with the support and service they provide the clients. Florence Crittenton, as we said before, only offers services to adolescent girls. Being an adolescent girl can be difficult on its own without the factors of substance abuse, physical/sexual abuse, and neglect. These girls are going through many changes in their bodies as well as developmentally, which is why the organization specializes in this age group. The age group requires a certain level of attention and requires staff to pay attention to specific details about the clients. According to Patton et all, the authors argue that puberty can effect the use of substances. “Early maturers had higher levels of substance use because they entered the risk period at an earlier point than did late maturers” (George C. Patton et all. 2004). These findings ring true because there are clients that are 14 and one would assume they are 18 due to their maturity and their past history. Through programs and treatment plans the clients overcome their issues of substance abuse. In conclusion, we believe that this organization should be more knowledgeable to public because of the amazing work they do. This organization empowers young women in the community that need help and deserve help. The help they get allows them to blossom into young women that will be strong, educated, healthy, and passionate about life. Florence Crittenton creates hope for a bright future.

References:

1. Green, Stephanie M., Mary F. Russo, Judith L. Navratil, and Rolf Loeber. "Journal of Child and Family Studies." Sexual and Physical Abuse Among Adolescent Girls with Disruptive Behavior Problems 8.2 (1999): 151-68. Www.springerlink.com. Web. 07 Nov. 2010. <http://www.springerlink.com/content/t236168755574n78/fulltext.pdf>.

2. Patton, George C., Barbara J. McMorris, John W. Toumbourou, Sheryl M. Hemphill, Susan Donath, and Richard F. Catalano. "Pediatrics." Pediatrics 114.3 (2004): 300-06. Http://pediatrics.aapublications.org. 01 Sept. 2004. Web. 07 Nov. 2010. <http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/114/3/e300>.