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AG Reyes Keynotes at the Clothesline Project – Silent Voices

Attorney General Sean Reyes Speaks through Silence at the Clothesline Project – Calls Attention to National Sexual Assault Awareness Month

SALT LAKE CITY (April 15, 2015) — Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes spoke through Silent Voices today at the Clothesline Project at Utah Valley University as the keynote speaker. He joined other advocates in calling attention to violence against women during National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. In his address he challenged attendees: “We need your voice, no matter your background, to unite with other diverse voices in our community to increase awareness, protect victims, and ultimately stop assault of all types against women and children.”

General Reyes oversees multiple divisions and programs within his office to combat crimes and atrocities related to abuse in Utah including a statewide Child Protection Division and administering and coordinating the SECURE Strike Force, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the Children’s Justice Centers (CJCs). In addition, the Attorney General’s Office is overseeing the implementation of a school safety and crisis line and will launch the sexual abuse awareness campaign One with Courage with Utah’s Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) on April 28, 2015.

“It is alarming to me that every minute and a half another American is sexually assaulted and a majority of the victims do not report the crime to police,” said Attorney General Reyes. “On a daily basis and throughout many nights, our investigators, prosecutors, and program administrators are working to curtail the horrifying crimes that center on violent abuse and sexual assault. Many of our efforts are focused specifically on children to ensure protection for our community’s most vulnerable.”

The Utah Attorney General’s Office houses, coordinates and/or administers the following:

Child Protection Division

The Child Protection Division of the Attorney General’s Office is the result of the 1994 passage of House Bill 265, Child Welfare Reform Act. Under The Child Welfare Reform Act, the Attorney General represents the State and the Utah Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) in child abuse and neglect cases.

Ensuring a safe living environment for children can involve something as drastic as permanently removing a child from an abusive home and making the child available for adoption. Usually, however, it will involve other alternatives such as temporary shelter, foster care, or protective supervision of the child in his or her own home. All of these circumstances require court action and the involvement of the AG’s office.

SECURE Strike Force

The Utah Attorney General’s Office administers and coordinates the SECURE Strike Force partnership with the Utah Department of Public Safety and county, federal and city law enforcement agencies to combat violent and other major felony crimes associated with illegal immigration and human trafficking.

Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force

The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) is a multi-jurisdictional task force that investigates and prosecutes individuals who use the Internet to exploit children.

Children’s Justice Centers (CJCs)

The Utah Children’s Justice Center (CJC) Program is dedicated to helping local communities respond to allegations of child abuse in ways that are effective, efficient, and that minimize trauma for the child.  Administered by the Utah Attorney General, the Utah CJC Program includes 22 locations statewide. A Children’s Justice Center is a child-focused, facility-based program in which representatives from law enforcement, child protection, prosecution, mental health, medical services, and victim advocacy work together to conduct interviews and make team decisions about investigation, prosecution, and treatment of child abuse cases.  In an average year, Utah’s CJCs conduct 4,500 interviews, handle 5,500 cases, and serve as many as 15,000 people.

The Utah Attorney General’s Office under the direction of Attorney General Sean Reyes is always seeking ways to work with other agencies, organizations and individuals to combat crimes throughout Utah.

The Clothesline Project (CLP) is a program started on Cape Cod, MA, in 1990 to address the issue of violence against women. It is a vehicle for women affected by violence to express their emotions by decorating a shirt. They then hang the shirt on a clothesline to be viewed by others as testimony to the problem of violence against women.

The Clothesline Project – Silent Voices is being held today and tomorrow at Utah Valley University. The public is invited. Information can be found at https://www.uvu.edu/wsc/events/clothesline.html.

CLOTHESLINE PROJECT—SILENT VOICES

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

THURSDAY, April 16, 2015

8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

UVU Grande Ballroom

More information on the Utah Attorney General’s Office can be found at attorneygeneral.utah.gov.

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