An advocate for victims of sexual abuse

It was difficult to break the cycle of violence. The young, undocumented woman had been with her abusive partner since she was 13. Living far from her family and friends, he provided her sole source of stability in Petaluma.

The Central American woman, now in her mid-20s, contacted the Petaluma Police Department last year to report the longstanding pattern of abuse. Through the department’s victim advocate, Georgina Tello Bugarin, she was connected with the resources she needed to lift her out of the painful situation and the support she sought to cope as the case made its way through the judicial system.

Bugarin, who works full-time for the nonprofit Verity, which operates the county’s rape crisis center, spends 20 hours a week working from the police headquarters to help victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Those cases are often difficult to navigate, entangled in complex webs of emotion and fear, Bugarin said. Though her work is a challenge, her reward comes from helping victims rediscover themselves outside of the violence that has shaped their lives.

“I’m very upset about the victims being mistreated,” said Bugarin, a 46-year-old Petaluma resident. “My main motivation is trying to give voice to those victims.”

Bugarin, a bilingual native of Guanajuato, Mexico, has worked with Petaluma police for nearly two years, though the advocate position has existed in the department since 1999. She works with an average of 22 clients each month, and is often called to the scene as officers respond to incidents, or is tasked with reaching out to victims after reports are filed.

She links victims to local resources, including shelters, clinics or counseling, and will attend court dates with victims and provide continued support. Some victims don’t return her calls or aren’t ready to move forward, Bugarin said, but she offers her services regardless.

“What I’m trying to do is tell them that I’m there for them to support whatever decision they’re going to make,” she said. “I provide information and resources and whatever they decide, I’m there for them.”

In the past five years, 373 incidents of domestic assault with injury have been reported in Petaluma, with 275 total arrests in that time frame, according to police. In the past five years, there have been 548 incidents of domestic battery, with 285 arrests, according to data provided by the department.

Police recorded 388 incidents of sexual assault, including rape, sodomy, fondling and sexual assault with an object since 2012, with 82 combined arrests for those incidents. Many cases of domestic violence also involve sexual assault, Bugarin said. Police Chief Ken Savano said officers have also made arrests for human trafficking violations, though specific data wasn’t available.

“The numbers are stable, but they’re certainly high,” Savano said, acknowledging that the records may not be reflective of the full picture of violence in the community, as some victims may hesitate to come forward. “One is too many,” he added.

Savano said his department is working to reduce those numbers, and part of the solution stems from increased community awareness. Having an in-house advocate also helps build trust with victims, he said. Petaluma Mayor David Glass at a April 17 city council meeting presented a proclamation that recognized April as “Sexual Assault Awareness Month” and reaffirmed the city’s commitment to addressing sexual violence.

“It’s getting out there, and having people be more involved and aware of what to look for,” Savano said. “If you see something, report it.”

Sonoma County Chief Deputy District Attorney Brian Staebell said he’s seen a growing emphasis on victims’ resources in the county, with an increased awareness in potential jury pools about the dynamics of domestic violence.

“Society in general is paying more attention to the issue,” said Staebell, who is involved in the district attorney’s domestic violence unit. “People have a more sophisticated understanding. People used to not talk about this and say that it was a family problem and something left to be resolved in the family. I think people used to think of it as a problem that only affected certain socioeconomic levels, but people are more aware now that it crosses the spectrum.”

Chris Castillo, executive director of Verity, praised the partnership with the police as a benefit to both the department and the community, and encouraged victims across the county to seek help.

“In this political time, with what’s being floated about, people are getting pretty anxious,” she said. “What we can do to maybe not continue to have that anxiety not be heightened … is help people put plans in place and understand that they are a victim of a crime and that they’re eligible for services.”