Executive Director of the Crime Victims Assistance Center in the Southern Tier, Raini Baudenistel is the guest on Saturday's local, weekly public affairs program "Southern Tier Close Up" and talks about the new $1.2 million grant awarded to CVAC for the addition of attorneys and a paralegal to provide no cost services to crime victims.

Kathy Whyte/ WNBF News
Kathy Whyte/ WNBF News
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Baudenistel says a recent assessment from the U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime found a real problem with a lack of legal assistance for victims facing a litany of issues stemming from victimization.

The new program with two attorneys and a paralegal is just getting started and is being set up in the Broome County Office Building to be close to the courts.

In addition to the legal assistance new program, Baudenistel talks the complicated and often misunderstood issue of human trafficking as January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month and some of the things CVAC has learned about the disturbing crime in all its forms.

CVAC is also keeping a close eye on the legislative process locally, statewide and nationally given the drastic change in the political landscape over the past few months.

Of particular interest will be the debate in Albany on a bill that would give child molestation victims more time to sue their abusers.

More information about the work of the agency can be found at www.cvac.us or by calling the office at (607) 723-3200.

Southern Tier Close Up airs Saturdays at 12:10 p.m. on News Radio 1290 WNBF.

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