October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Domestic Violence is a vicious cycle that includes the use of physical as well as, emotional and psychological abuse which affects people from all walks of life. Every year there are more than 4.4 million physical assaults committed against women by an acquaintance in the United States. Last year, in Arizona 125 Domestic Violence related deaths occurred, up from 107 in 2006. This year, to date, there have already been 88 fatalities related to Domestic Violence in Arizona. These grim facts speak for themselves. Children forced to suffer or witness this cycle of abuse in their homes, can sadly create a legacy of violence as the cycle repeats across generations. Domestic Violence can spill over into schools and places of work.
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month provides us with an opportunity to reach out to the community to provide education, emphasize that domestic violence is a crime, warn abusers that they will be prosecuted, and offer victims aid and support. Everyone from community leaders, health care professionals, teachers, employers, friends, neighbors, and criminal justice professionals have an important role in eliminating domestic violence. Arizona has strict laws intended to hold domestic abusers accountable for their actions, but laws alone are not enough. A comprehensive, coordinated approach must shape our strategy to reduce domestic violence. Glendale has created the Domestic Violence Task Force to create strategies to reduce domestic violence in our community.
The Glendale Domestic Violence Task Force is an innovative response created to provide victims with a multi-agency approach to identify solutions for reducing domestic violence and improving access to victim resources. The Glendale Domestic Violence Task Force offers enhanced Domestic Violence programming and services. Police and Adult Probation officers prioritized over 625 warrant arrests made so far this year to identify repeat offenders targeted for their high-risk behavior.
The Glendale City Court has a fulltime Victim Advocate to help guide victims through court processes, such as seeking protective order relief, and gaining access to community resources. The Court also created a model for a Domestic Violence Treatment Court to initiate strategic measures to insure all Domestic Violence defendants are closely supervised and monitored. These measures included sanctions such as community service, counseling, and incarceration for noncompliance. Treatment Court staff insure that all defendants are fingerprinted to more accurately track criminal history records.
The Glendale City Prosecutor’s Office is an integral part of making Treatment Court work. The Prosecutor’s office has a dedicated Victim Notification Clerk to assist victims of Domestic Violence through the Treatment Court process. In addition, the Prosecutor’s office has a Victim Advocate to assist victims of crime, to include Domestic Violence, in any an all cases prior to adjudication.
The West Valley Advocacy Center offers numerous resources for victims. It is important for victims of Domestic Violence to realize they have choices. A Victim Advocate can help identify options, do a lethality assessment, help create a safety plan, and help a victim break the cycle of violence. If you or someone you know is in a violent relationship and would like more information, please contact the West Valley Advocacy Center at (623) 930-3720. If you are the victim of a case currently being handled by the Glendale City Prosecutor’s Office, you can call 623-930-3323 and a Victim Advocate can answer your questions and provide you with assistance.
