By Stephanie Swanson, Guest Columnist
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office has been proactive in bringing awareness to the community and assisting victims of domestic violence since 2004. Under a grant awarded by the National Sheriff’s Association, Cherokee County was one of 10 rural law enforcement agencies in the nation selected to provide victim services inside of a law enforcement setting.
Often referred to as VALE (Victim Advocates in Law Enforcement), these advocates assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault as they navigate the criminal justice system. Advocates also act as a liaison between victims and law enforcement officers, the District Attorney’s Office and Legal Aid of North Carolina.
Victim advocates have proven to be an important asset for sheriffs’ offices across the state. Some tasks victim advocates can assist with include helping victims complete and file documents (such as domestic violence protection orders), make referrals to Legal Aid to assist in getting victims free legal representation in court and can provide transportation to and from court hearings for domestic violence/sexual assault victims who don’t have a vehicle or are unable to drive.
Domestic violence is one of the leading contributors of homicide in the United States. The chances of domestic violence related homicide increase not when a victim chooses to stay with their abuser, but when they decide to leave. Safety planning is always discussed when assisting victims, to help them make safe decisions about where to stay after leaving their abuser – this sometimes looks like helping them get into a shelter, or helping them get a hotel room, if they don’t already have a safe place to go to.
Providing court advocacy also helps victims more secure while navigating the court process and making sure they feel safe when having to face their abuser in court.
I often walk my clients out of the courthouse for two reasons:
- To help deter the defendant from trying to follow or talk to the victim as they are leaving.
- If the defendant does try to follow or communicate with the victim, I can be a witness to help obtain a warrant, or testify in court if criminal action is taken.
Making referrals to other agencies, and sometimes calling to help set up appointments, can greatly assist victims in making sure they are safe, healthy and that their basic needs are being met. Having a strong support system can help a victim become independent enough to not feel like they have to go back to their abuser.
This can sometimes happen when basic needs can’t be met (shelter, food, clothing, etc.) and especially when young children are involved. We want to help meet these basic needs so the victim doesn’t feel like the only choice they have to survive is by going back to their abuser.
I’ve met clients at the Cherokee County Department of Social Services to help them apply for government assistance, and have helped get power bills and water bills taken care of through local church emergency funding and from other private resources. I’ve taken clients to the health department, Urgent Care and/or the emergency room, called to make counseling appointments, helped them locate and get into domestic violence shelters, and have even helped with picking up and delivering food to their homes from local food banks.
Making sure there is stability within the home after going through the trauma of domestic violence or sexual assault is a key to a successful resolution of ending the cycle of abuse.
The victim advocate’s office has assisted 2,105 individuals since 2004, and has assisted an average of around 188 victims per year over the past five years (based off of statistics from 2020-24). This includes victims who are new to receiving help, as well as clients who have been receiving assistance and whose files remain “open” for the duration of having an active protection order in place.
If you or a loved one is experiencing domestic violence or sexual assault, please don’t hesitate to call the sheriff’s office at 828-837-2589, option 5, to speak with our victim advocate about options in getting help.
The writer is victims advocate director for the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.