Building a Community Coordinated Response to the Criminalization of Survivors: A Toolkit
(Fall 2025) This Toolkit provides ideas, strategies, and techniques for addressing the need and challenges related to making survivors charged…
Best Practices and Help Seeking Obstacles: Advocacy and Law Enforcement
Published by: Sherry Hamby, Ph.D.
This webinar presents findings from a national study of domestic violence. Among other findings, an exemplary level of police response (that which included at least 6 “best practices” for law enforcement – follow up after initial contact, safety planning with victim, assessment of child’s needs, provision of 911 telephone, description of protection orders and court procedures, connection with available shelter and services, explanation of effects of domestic violence on children, and efforts to help victims feel safe) was most associated with arrest. Contact with advocates involving referrals and protection order information was most associated with separation from domestic violence perpetrators. Obstacles to accessing services were identified. Help seeking was not deterred by obstacles in the directions anticipated by researchers. Criminal justice case attrition was high across the full spectrum of criminal legal interventions. Finally, participants consider ways to improve the law enforcement and advocacy response, including the VIGOR safety plan.