With the launching of a new groundbreaking approach to victim advocacy, Ryan Isenberg brings her education and experience to a program with a sincerity of helping people.
Ryan Isenberg is passionate about the rights of crime victims. She has dedicated herself to ensuring victims have full access to the criminal justice system as a part of their healing process.
Ryan has a bachelor’s degree in criminology, with an emphasis in victimology. She feels fortunate to have started her career in victim services at a rape crisis center in Central California in 2012, where she moved from intern to crisis counselor. She holds state certifications in domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and victim/witness assistance. She is experienced in the facilitation of domestic violence support groups.
Ryan had early exposure to the importance of victim rights. Beginning at four years old, she would join her mother, who was a victim advocate herself and sit on the steps in front of the podium listening to speakers at community events. She would march in candlelight vigils and help at Camp Ted E. Bear, a camp for children witnesses of domestic violence.
But it wasn’t until she began to work hands-on with survivors that Ryan realized that she had found her calling. Assisting victims in transforming into survivors was like nothing she had ever done before. She found she was able to be a comforting presence during a very traumatic time in these men and women’s lives.
A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH A YOUNG VICTIM
Ryan shared a pivotal experience early in her career that she uses as a touchstone.
“I responded to a call at the hospital, where an eight-year-old child was sexually assaulted by a stranger. There were no witnesses, the child was young and seemed so fragile, and her mother was distraught. Sitting with the family waiting for all the medical and forensic procedures to be complete, I quickly established a rapport with the child, and by listening to her, I realized she actually seemed quite strong.
A sketch artist arrived, I had never seen much success with this, but I was amazed as I watched as the child described, in great detail, both her assailant and his vehicle. As she continued to describe him, guiding the artist to make changes and adding important information that she hadn’t even been asked for, I honestly saw her gaining strength and recapturing some power.
That evening as I drove home from the hospital, I heard on the radio that a suspect had been picked up in the assault of an eight-year-old child. I thought about how close I was to underestimating what that child could do. And now, I think about her and am always reminded to never underestimate a victim’s abilities and internal strength.”
VICTIMS AND WITNESSES BENEFIT FROM HER EXPERIENCE
Upon relocating to Southern California, Ryan continued victim-centered practice as a case manager at a local family justice center. There she was able to gain experience working with victims of broad cross-section crime types; elder abuse, child abuse, domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, and homicide survivors. She learned the importance of meaningful collaboration with law enforcement, district attorney staff, and other nonprofit entities.
Ryan has been with the department for three years. In addition to her duties as the new digital victim advocate, Ryan will continue to work on crimes against children and adult sexual assault cases. She is on the district attorney’s crisis response team and serves as the secondary handler to K9 court facility dog, Dozer. Ryan has worked closely with our local universities and established an excellent working relationship, which she will build upon in her new role.
TAKING HER SKILLS ONLINE
We live in a world where two-year-olds know how to use tablets, teenagers are lost without their phones, and even grandparents use technology to connect to their families. Education and information can be accessed and used more effectively with technology.
For the last eight years of Ryan’s career, she has conducted many presentations and found great pleasure in educating the community in face-to-face settings, but she is eager to explore the innovative methods that technology can be used to further benefit and bring information to an even wider audience.
She is optimistic that this new, creative way of connecting with the community will increase a victim’s ability to access services and serve as an outlet to bring crime prevention resources to different audiences.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DIGITAL VICTIM ADVOCATE PROGRAM