NORFOLK, Va. — There's a shortage of services around the state of Virginia that help victims of sexual assault and domestic violence get the help they need.
That's the purpose of the Family Justice Center that just opened in Norfolk. Its doors are open for victims of any crimes, but it specializes in helping victims of sexual and domestic crimes who need support and protection.
The Victims of Crime Act and Violence Against Women Act granted funding to build the center. Law enforcement, prosecutors, victim-witness advocates, social services specialists and a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner clinic are on hand and at the ready at the center when victims need help.
Norfolk Family Justice Center Co-Director Kristen Pine said it's difficult for victims to process the trauma they experienced while also trying to navigate the system.
"For victim advocacy they'd have to come to the YMCA, if they had to go to court, then they'd have to go to court," said Co-Director Kristen Pine. "If they were getting an emergency protective order, they'd have to go to a magistrate. All of those services are offered here with childcare."
There are also crisis hotline and intervention, victim advocacy, counseling, support groups, wellness classes and childcare services.
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This center's purpose tackles two concerns: a lack of co-located services to address the immediate and long-term needs for victims and a lack of location to refer or transport victims to that have knowledgeable, trauma-informed care professionals available 24-hours a day.
There's an evidence-based, best practices model that the center follows in order to achieve outcomes of reduced sexual and domestic-related homicides, increased victim safety, reduced fear and anxiety for children and increased prosecution for offenders.
Detective Jennifer Baron works in the Norfolk Special Crimes Unit and is permanently assigned to the center. She said the center focuses on victim comfort and confidentiality.
"A lot of them are at the lowest point in their life," said Baron. "Either they’ve been a victim of abuse: physically, mentally, psychologically, a lot of them are victims of sexual assault, sexual abuse and when they make that decision that they want to come report to the police, that’s a huge step for them."
It's anticipated that at least 3,500 victims will be serviced by the Family Justice Center each fiscal year. It's located at 500 Plume Street in Norfolk, Virginia.