WEST CHESTER, PA – Chester County police, faith leaders, and Child and Youth and Families staffers are working together to help Latinx community members feel more comfortable reporting domestic violence.
Just two months after the group’s first meeting during Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Chester County Sheriff Fredda L. Maddox’s office, changes are already underway, county officials said Monday in a news release.
Domestic violence is defined as a pattern of abusive behavior in a relationship that is used by one partner to control another partner.
One example of change is that after hearing about the West Chester program of video arraignment for Protection from Abuse orders—the first of its kind in Pennsylvania—the Coatesville Police Department is setting up a similar program.
Protection-from-abuse orders are court orders that protect victims from being contacted by abusers. The Chester County sheriff’s office serves the protection-from-abuse order to perpetrators.
The video arraignments prevent the victims of domestic violence from having to obtain transportation to the courthouse and confront the perpetrators in person in a courtroom.
The group discussed how victims of domestic violence are often fearful of reporting their issues to the police.
During the meeting on Thursday, Nov. 30, “Graziella,” not her real name, shared her fear of speaking out about her domestic violence.
She said that she appreciated the police officers who projected a gentle demeanor and connected her to the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County, a nonprofit agency.
Her story highlighted the impact of choosing to report domestic violence despite cultural taboos.
It also underscored the need for more community members to receive education about what healthy, respectful relationships look like and red flags for domestic violence.
To learn more about domestic violence prevention and how you can help, visit the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County’s website here.
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