For the City Times

Chee Thor is the new Victim Resource Advocate at The Wisconsin Rapids Family Center, announced by Sue Sippel, executive director for the domestic violence shelter.

The Family Center provides secure shelter and services for victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault for Wisconsin Rapids and other areas of Wood County.

Thor currently is The Family Center’s Hmong Services Coordinator. In the new position, Thor will be responsible for assisting clients with navigation of the legal and judicial system, as well as other community resources. She will serve as a first point-of-contact for walk-in clients who are victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault.

Additionally, she will provide support, information, and advocacy to victims, as well as accompany them to court proceedings.

“The Family Center is lucky to have committed and talented staff members like Chee,” Sippel said. “She exceeds expectations in nearly everything she takes on at work.”

Thor also has been accepted into the third session of End Abuse Wisconsin’s “WE LEAD” (Wisconsin Empowered! Leadership Enrichment and Ally Development), a year-long leadership academy focusing on building new voices of leadership within the movement to end domestic and sexual violence by providing hands-on leadership development opportunities for survivors of violence and/or people from Wisconsin’s underserved or under-represented communities.

“We look forward to great things from Chee as the Victim Resource Advocate and as a result of her participation in the WE-LEAD Academy,” Sippel said.

While Thor works with victims of all backgrounds, her current focus is with women of Hmong heritage. She works with high school students as well as older women, coordinating support groups for both. Additionally, Thor is the Secretary of the Family Advocacy and Culture Mediation Committee for the Hmong 18 Council of Wisconsin Inc., where she helps oversee the traditional mediation ministry team, pre-screen mediation/arbitration cases, provide resources to help resolve cases for clients, record keeping of cases and provide/guide personal advocacy, and helps Hmong clients file correct paper work for their cases.

Thor also speaks both the green and white dialects of the Hmong language. She is expected to start her new role in May; The Family Center currently is accepting applications for the Hmong Services Coordinator position.

About End Abuse Wisconsin

End Abuse Wisconsin is a state-wide organization working to promote social change that transforms societal attitudes, practices and policies to prevent and eliminate domestic violence, abuse and oppression. Find out more at www.endabusewi.org

About The Family Center

Founded in 1984, The Family Center, 500 25^th St. N., provides a 24-hour secure shelter for victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault, as well as outreach programs for children, teens, Hmong, senior and vulnerable adult services, and visitation services. Follow Wisconsin Rapids Family Center on Facebook, @familyctr on Twitter, and at www.familyctr.org.

Contact Deb Cleworth, community outreach/fund development manager, at 715-421-1559 or communications@familyctr.org for more information.