A quicker response

Alexis Barker
NLJ Reporter
 
FOCUS, or the Foundation of Caring, Understanding and Services, has partnered with Weston County law enforcement to provide quicker advocate responses to victims of domestic violence. 
A proclamation signed with the Upton Police Department, Newcastle Police Department and Weston County Sheriff’s Office establishes a protocol for advocacy response for domestic assault victims. 
“What is going on now is an advocacy-initiated response. We will be able to provide advocacy quicker when officers encounter domestic violence,” current FOCUS Director Stacie Hoxie said. 
The proclamations are the product of nearly a year’s worth of work between the local agencies and Praxis International, of Minnesota, to streamline the advocacy response process for local victims, according to Rose Thelen, a Praxis technical assistance partner. 
“The program provides technical assistance, support and training on a number of levels. One of the programs is working with rural areas,” Thelen said. The Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault received a grant to provide these services to rural areas, she said. 
“FOCUS was one of the three rural programs nationwide to receive this customized training and technical assistance in 2018,” a press release from Praxis International says. 
Hoxie said that FOCUS did not actually receive any funds but simply benefited from the technical support provided by Praxis, allowing the agency to offer a better service to local victims. 
The support, according to the release, included training and meetings for advocates, representatives of law enforcement and other stakeholders to explore local challenges and examine model practice for responding to domestic violence. 
The advocacy initiated response went into effect the week of March 27. 
“Through this agreement, law enforcement will contact FOCUS as soon as possible to provide advocacy to the victim after there has been a law enforcement response for a domestic violence-related incident,” the release says.
According to Hoxie, research has shown that advocacy at the time of a law enforcement involvement increases the victim’s safety and recovery. She said that FOCUS will now automatically be informed by dispatch in domestic assault situations, providing an immediate response for the victims. 
“This is the most effective way to link victims with advocates,” Thelen said. “It generally improves the court outcome and makes the victim feel safer. Confidential advocates make the difference.” 
Thelen said that the proclamation and coordinated community response is “cutting edge,” as far as putting something of this nature in place in a rural area. 
“This community response effort is going to allow FOCUS and local law enforcement to better protect victims and hold offenders accountable, which is a big piece of the process,” Thelen said. “The best safety plan for the victims is for them to get some justice and the offender to be stopped.” 
This new protocol, according to Thelen, will begin the process of building a case beginning with the 911 call, with the main goal being stopping the offender instead of sending the victim on a “search for safety.” 
“The victim is the least stable and able to stop him. The community has to figure out how we stop them without having the victim become more endangered,” Thelen said, noting that these protocols will also allow for better tracking of domestic violence data. 
“FOCUS is focused not just on providing a safety plan but working in the community to increase the capacity to stop the offender instead of being so focused on fixing the victim,” Thelen said. 
“FOCUS and the involved law enforcement agencies are to be commended for implementing AIR. It is the foundation of an effective coordinated community response. Their success will enhance safety for victims and accountability for offenders – not only locally – but will also serve as a model for other rural areas, grappling with similar challenges,” Thelen said.