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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 1995)
just out ▼ October 20. I M S T i l local news To the rescue A new Crisis Response Team will be there for sexual minorities who are the victims o f crimes or accidents T by Ten Ventura the special issues of sexual minority victims. For instance, emergency technicians may be unfamil iar with cross-dressers, transsexuals and others not in the mainstream. There will be members from each of those groups on the Crisis Response Team to ensure that all sexual minority victims and their families are treated with sensitivity and compas sion. Team members will be able to facilitate communication between lovers and biological fami lies of victims. Lewis notes that this assistance can be crucial when biological families do not know the sexual orientation of their relative or, if they do know, are uncomfortable with or disapprove of sexual minorities. Team members can advocate for visitation and decision-making rights on behalf of the lover of a victim. This is of special impor know to contact your same-sex partner.” Lewis he Sexual Minority Roundtable Crisis Response Team was o fficially advises, “Live openly so that the police and others will know who you are. Think about how you launched Oct. 11, on National Com ing Out Day. The team works in part would want your lover to be treated in the event nership with Portland police officers you were incapacitated, and take the necessary who respond to calls for assistance involving sexual steps now to see that your wishes will be carried minorities. It is the first of its kind in the United States and is mandated by the Partnership Agree ment, signed Oct. 11, 1994, between the Portland Police Bureau and the sexual minorities commu nity. The Crisis Response Team—an all-volunteer group— provides emotional and practical support to sexual minority victims of crime, and their families, in the first few hours after a tragedy. The Crisis Response Team will be called upon in cases of homicide, serious assault, accidental death, rob bery, sexual assault, domestic disturbance and assistance with death notification, and to dispel tension when an incident occurs that may draw a large crowd. The team members are called to a crisis scene or to a local hospital by authorized police officers, either at the initiative of an officer at the scene, or at the request of the victim. LaVeme Lewis, executive director of the Les bian Community Project and a Crisis Response Team work group member and team leader, is very involved in the project. “The Sexual Minority Roundtable Crisis Re sponse Team is different from our [LCP’s] Anti- Violence Project in that hatred or bias does not have to be involved for this Crisis Response Team to be called,” says Lewis. “We are there for all sexual minority victims of crimes and crisis, for the (From left) Crisis Response Team volunteers William Warren, Elizabeth Allen, LaVeme Lewis, Reisa everyday tragedies all humans face. Traffic acci Morehouse and Roni Lang with the Police Bureau’s sexual minority community liaison, Bruce Prunk dents don’t pick sexual minority victims. They happen to everyone.” She continues, “What’s dif out.” (See box for legal information about protect tance when the biological family is resistant to ferent for sexual minority victims is that we don’t ing your rights and those of your partner.) accepting the partner and the victim has not estab have many of the safeguards in place, such as lished legal rights for the partner. The Crisis Response Team will provide vic marriage, that the majority does. For example, in a tims and their families with information about The Crisis Response Team unit consists of four fatal traffic accident, how is the partner of a lesbian teams, each with four volunteers. Team members victims’ assistance programs and benefits; notify victim notified? How do the police know she exists receive comprehensive training that includes 30 to family, school or employers, when necessary; ac or how to contact her?” 35 hours of base training, two ride-alongs with company the victim and/or the family to the hospi This brings to mind another important issue for police officers, a tour and overview of 911 opera tal; arrange for emotional support from family, Lewis. “This is a very good reason to come out and tions, and additional training specific to sexual friends and neighbors; and assist with funeral live openly as gays and lesbians. One never knows minority issues. Members must undergo an exten arrangements. when he or she may be a victim. When you are sive background check, including fingerprinting. Through life experience and training, the team They are provided with picture identification cards incapacitated, you will not be able to let the police will also be able to deal sensitively with some of T and a pager, which they are required to wear during their shifts. Volunteers commit to rotating shifts of no less than 24 hours. Some volunteers have expressed concern about getting time off from work to respond to a crisis call. Says Lewis, “This is an opportunity to come out to your boss, or at least to express your support for the sexual minority community. Employers should be proud to have a well-trained crisis inter vention specialist working for them. It is an honor to be paged by the police to respond to an emer gency. It’s very similar to the work of volunteer fire fighters, Red Cross disaster relief workers and National Guard personnel. Employers should grant employees time off for service on the Crisis Re sponse Team as they do for any of these other important community services.” In addition to providing immediate assistance to sexual minority victims in crisis, Lewis sees the Crisis Response Team as a vital community ser vice in other significant ways. “We are, in essence, second-class citizens. We lack many of the protec- The Crisis Response Team an all-volunteer group provides emotional and practical support to sexual minority victims of crime, and their families, in the first few hours after a tragedy. — — tions that other victims have, such as the right to marry and share insurance benefits. The assistance the Crisis Response Team offers helps level it off.” Lewis maintains that having a sexual minority Crisis Response Team will also serve to decrease the attacks of the radical right. “There is no way that victims’ rights can be equated with ‘special rights,’ ” says Lewis. “Having a victims’ response team is something every victim needs.” According to Lewis, there are no reliable statis tics on sexual minority victims of non-bias-related crimes and accidents. She sees an added benefit of the Crisis Response Team as providing those sta tistics. “Although I would prefer that no one suffer tragedy, it’s important to know that sexual minori ties also experience the same crimes and accidents as the majority community. It’s another bridge to educate society about who we are.” Applications to volunteer for the Sexual Mi nority Roundtable Crisis Response Team can be obtained by contacting LaVeme Lewis at the Les bian Community Project, 223-0071. I l Protecting your assets Portland attorney Jennifer Kimble suggests five practical steps that, when taken together, will increase the likelihood o f your wishes being carried out in the event o f your incapacity or death. 1. Carry an emergency identification card with you at all times. It should include any perti nent medical information such as chronic medical conditions and drug allergies and the name and phone numbers of the person(s) you want con tacted in an emergency. 2. Prepare an advance directive. As die name suggests, an advance directive is a type of future planning for possible incapacity. It is a legal docu ment that details your wishes about your medical care, including life support and in which you appoint the person you would prefer to make medical decisions for you if you become incapaci tated. Kimble suggests that you also select an alternate appointee in case your first choice is unable to serve. For instance, you may have ap pointed your lover, but if you are in an accident together, he or she may also be incapacitated. Kimble notes that the advance directive forms available at Stevens-Ness Law Publishing Co. in Portland are adequate, inexpensive and easy to complete. Kimble advises that your signature on the form must be witnessed. 3. Select a guardian and conservator. This procedure is best carried out through an attorney, according to Kimble. A guardian makes decisions in all areas of an incapacitated person’s life, except for financial matters. Some examples include ques tions of daily care, medical treatment, visitation, and where and with whom the incapacitated person will live. A conservator makes financial decisions, including investments and spending, for the dis abled person. You may choose the same person or a different person for each. 4. Decide on your beneficiaries and have your care for your child or children in the absence of a partner’s name entered on titles of property with second legal parent, if you die. rights of survivorship. Kimble suggests that you name your partner, or other person, as the benefi Kimble states that without these protections in ciary of your life insurance, retirement and other place, the right to make decisions for you and to such benefits. Kimble recommends that some inherit your property passes in descendi ng order of couples may want to place the names of both preference from your legal spouse (read not your partners on titles to vehicles and real and other lover or partner) to your children, your parents, properties, especially those with rights of your siblings and, finally, to the state. survivorship. This will commingle your assets, Kimble stresses that these suggestions are in no and Kimble cautions that it is much more difficult way meant to be a substitute for comprehensive to break ties with another once you have done this. legal advice, and she urges readers to contact an However, Kimble states, for life partners and oth attorney for a thorough consultation about future ers who are absolutely certain of their desire to and estate planning. share assets with one another, this will allow your For more information about establishing legal partner to have full use of those assets if you are rights for same-sex and unmarried couples, or incapacitated, and those assets would transfer to future and estate planning, consult attorneys who your partner if you were to die. S. Make out a will. According to Kimble, a will advertise in Just Out or call the Lawyer Referral Service at 684-3763 and ask to be referred to a not only controls disbursement of your assets when lawyer who practices domestic relations, wills and you die. but also allows you to designate the probate for same-sex and unmarried couples. guardian of your minor child or children. This With some modifications, the above-listed con designation will not override the rights of the other siderations and suggestions also apply to gay men biological or adoptive parent, if one exists, says and lesbians without partners. Kimble. But it does allow you to decide who will # m