New Center for Abuse Victims to Come to the Imperial Valley
January 4, 2012

(El Centro, CA) -- Abuse survivors and advocates all agree the Imperial Valley needs a new center where victims can turn to. This idea of one center for victims of abuse in the Imperial Valley is just starting to come to light. De De Guillory-Chavez is just one of the women helping with the center.

Today, De De is a strong, bubbly woman.

However, 21 years ago, she had been brainwashed and abused by her now ex-husband.

De De tells News 11’s Rachel Elzufon, "everything that I did and everything that I was, was tied up into his approval of who I was. It got to the point where I did nothing unless he told me."

De De survived a relationship too controlling for many people to understand, saying her ex-husband even controlled when she ate and went to the bathroom.

At times, the abuse turned physical. De De says she remembers him "choking, throwing me across the room, fracturing my arm."

Now, she wants to help those who have not made it out.

De De is working with others in the Imperial Valley to create a new center for victims to turn to.

Amanda Occhiuto, who is leading the Family Justice Center, explains "My dream for the Family Justice Center in Imperial County is to provide a place where victims feel safe coming through the door, whether they're children or adults."

The Family Justice Center would be for all victims of domestic violence, abuse and sexual assault.

With multiple services under one roof, it would be a safe haven for those too scared to come forward.

Organizers also hope with different agencies working together, victims wouldn't have re-live their abuse ... telling their story over and over to different.

Judy Pritchard has worked with the Center for Family Solutions for more than 20 years.

She has seen countless of abuse survivors. Pritchard was even one of the first persons De De saw about the abuse.

Pritchard says she has been waiting for the Family Justice Center model to come to the Imperial Valley since starting her job.

She explains the center would “do other things, not just restraining orders. There would be reports written, prosecutions done.”

The Family Justice Center would start small.

Right now organizers plan to operate out of the Center for Family Solutions several days a week.

They already have several organizations and multiple local law enforcement agencies committed.

Before opening, they want to meet with community members about different ideas.

The organization will have a strategic meeting Thursday and Friday at CalWORKS in El Centro.

They hope to have it off the ground within a few months.

Survivors like De De hope this encourages more victims to come forward, saying she’s speaking up to say “hey, it’s okay. I survived this. Hopefully this inspires someone else to know they can make it through too.”