Hannah Ortega – formerly Barti – (she/her) is a part-time Hope Instructor with the 40-Hour Hope Advocate Training. She facilitates evidence-based programming for Nevada community members, providing essential information on domestic violence and how to become a powerful advocate for victims.

We are so excited to have Hannah on the Hope for Family Resilience Team.

Location: University of Nevada, Reno Clark County Extension
2280 North McDaniel Street, North Las Vegas, NV 89030
April 7 - 10, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Location: University of Nevada, Reno Redfield Campus
18600 Wedge Parkway, Room 230, Reno, NV 89511
May 19 - 22, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Location: University of Nevada, Reno Clark County Extension
2280 North McDaniel Street, North Las Vegas, NV 89030
July 9, 16, 23, and 30, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Location: University of Nevada, Reno Clark County Extension
2280 North McDaniel Street, North Las Vegas, NV 89030
Oct. 6 - 9, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Pamela B. Payne, Ph.D., CFLE and former graduate assistant, Cristina Lopez, MS, CFLE attended the National Council for Family Relations Annual Conference November 20-23, 2024, in Bellevue, Washington. The goal of the symposium was to bring awareness to the state of domestic violence in Nevada to Certified Family Life Educators and share how the ten principles of Family Life Education can be used to better prepare advocates for their work in the domestic violence prevention field.

The 40-hour Hope Advocate Training curriculum uses the ten core principles for best practices working with victim-survivors focusing on areas like perception of families and individuals by society, the complexities of family dynamics, and the impact of domestic violence across the lifespan, to name a few. Advocates may feel they know a lot about families since they all have one, but the truth is, many people are surprised at how little they really know about family dynamics and common family practices they believed were helpful but really aren’t.

The Family Life Education professionals focus on providing resources, education, and skills for improving family experiences. With a focus on providing adults with ways to relate in a healthy way that brings out the best in themselves and others while exemplifying that for their children. There is a need for training and information on family roles – especially with the cycle of abuse being passed down from generation to generation. Utilizing the Family Life Education methodology can benefit families in identifying areas of weakness where they can improve and – in Nevada especially – begin to end the abuse that is far too prevalent statewide. 

January 2025 is the 21st year of National Stalking Awareness Month (NSAM), and Jan.18 marks the second annual Stalking Awareness Day of Action. The first National Stalking Awareness month was launched by the National Center for Victims of Crime to increase knowledge about the crime of stalking. This was in response to a call in 2003 to the Stalking Resource Center from Debbie Riddle, whose sister, Peggy Klinke, was murdered by her stalker. Riddle wanted to turn the tragedy her family experienced into something that could save lives in the future. 

According to Douglas and Dutton’s 2001 article, Assessing the Link Between Stalking and Domestic Violence, stalking “generally requires repeated direct or indirect acts of following, communicating, besetting, watching, contacting, and threatening in such a way as to cause the victim to fear, on reasonable grounds, for his or her safety.” And while stalking is not new to human behavior, it is more recently acknowledged as a crime. And the most common victim of stalking is an ex-intimate partner. 

Stalking is used as a form of coercive control often to continue the power and control dynamic of abuse post-separation, though stalking can occur during the relationship as well. As Katz et al mentioned in the 2020 article When Coercive Control Continues to Harm Children: Post-Separation Fathering, Stalking and Domestic Violence, “controlling and coercive behaviour is central to domestic violence,” and stalking is a form of coercive control that impacts the victim-survivor and can even lead to death.  

This is our chance to shine a light on the serious crime of stalking and take action to support awareness and prevention. Let’s stand together to make a difference — educate yourself, share resources and support those affected.