Group’s Effort Streamlines Process For Abuse Victims

BENTONVILLE — A blanket of help for domestic abuse victims in Benton County is being weaved at a monthly meeting.

Law enforcement, circuit and district judges, the Prosecutor’s Office and the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter gather as a group each month to find ways to improve communication and strengthen the county’s response to domestic violence, said Melanie Palmer, executive director of the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter. The meetings started in January.

“Domestic violence victims often feel confused and tossed between different agencies,” Palmer said. “They encounter law enforcement, receive services from our shelter, face our local judges in court and work with the prosecutor’s office.

“The victims often felt pinballed between the different agencies. Better interactions among all of us will help us better guide them through the process.”

The Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter serves more than 3,000 people a year affected by domestic violence, according to a news release.

At A Glance

Who To Call

The number for the Victim Assistance Program at the Benton County Prosecutor’s Office is 479-271-1030. The number for the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter is 479-246-9999 or 1-800-775-9011.

Who’s Involved

Representatives from the Sheriff’s Office and police departments in Rogers, Bentonville, Bella Vista and Siloam Springs, circuit and district judges, the Prosecutor’s Office and the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter make up the monthly meeting group.

Source: Staff Report

Kim Coble, victim assistance coordinator for the Prosecutr’s Office, says the meetings have honed in on one voice when it comes to domestic abuse.

“We want to be consistent and provide them with the same information,” Coble said.

The collaboration already has led to more streamlined processes for victims to get protective orders, has developed victim services material for law enforcement and provided some cross-training opportunities for group members.

This month, county law enforcement agencies will begin to hand out brochures created to connect domestic violence victims with support services. Walmart will donate the printing for the brochures, Coble said.

“We will have a good resource of information for people,” Coble said. “They will know where to go for assistance.”

The monthly collaboration is critical to bring awareness to domestic abuse in the county, Palmer said.

“We did work together before, but it was a little piecemeal, but now we are at the same table,” Palmer said.

Teri Edens, program coordinator for the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said it's important each person in the “food chain” understand the role and jobs of others. Edens said they all have the same goal — to protect victims of domestic abuse and to make offenders accountable — so it is important collaboration exists between different groups.

“We need to understand the other’s jobs and not their limitations in order to fill in any gaps,” Edens said.

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