Support for prosecutors and victim advocates discussed online

The Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan’s Victim Services Training Unit will host  “VSTU Supporting Prosecutors and Victim Advocates in Addressing and Managing Vicarious Trauma” online Wednesday, July 29, from 1:30 to 4 p.m. via Zoom.

This training is designed to equip prosecutors and victim advocates with the tools and knowledge needed to address vicarious trauma resulting from their repeated exposure to victims’ trauma throughout the criminal justice process. Participants will learn to recognize the effects of vicarious trauma and identify common activators among prosecutors and victim advocates. Using interactive scenarios, attendees will also develop crisis prevention and de-escalation techniques to help manage stress specific to their role, while fostering resiliency and adopting coping strategies.

As a result of this training, participants will be able to:

• Define and explain the impact of burnout, compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, and vicarious trauma.

• Develop crisis prevention plans and de-escalation techniques to prevent and respond to staff experiencing vicarious trauma.

• Recognize possible activators of vicarious trauma specific to the roles of prosecutors and victim advocates.

• Identify tools to foster resiliency and coping strategies.

Presenting at the webinar will be Cheryl Peace and attorney Krista R. Flannigan.

Peace has been working in victim services for more than 12 years. She is a senior training and technical assistance specialist for OVC TTAC. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology from Winthrop University and a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of North Carolina.

Flannigan has experience providing training to attorneys, law enforcement, victim advocates, mental health professionals, and educators regarding a variety of issues, including trauma-informed care and intervention with victims of mass violence, domestic violence, and sexual assault.

This PAAM VSTU training presentation is for prosecutors, assistant attorneys general, assistant U.S. attorneys, and prosecution-based victim advocates.

To register for the online training, visit https://michiganprosecutor.org and click on “Training Calendar.”  

Anyone with questions may contact Alex McGowan at McGowanA1@michi gan.gov, Bill Dailey at  DaileyB2@mich igan.gov, or Jeannie Wernet at WernetJ @michigan.gov.
"This training is supported by a Crime Victim Rights Award. This award was made to the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan by the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Victim Services.

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