A unique Maricopa County Victims face many barriers to program is providing an reporting their abusers. This easier and safer way for program aims to remove some victims of domestic violence of them. Some victims do not to get restraining orders have a ride to court or feel without walking into a afraid their abusers might courtroom. follow them. Some victims are Since the county started a afraid of being judged by videoconferencing program others after reporting abuse. last January, at least 60 By the end of their hospital domestic-violence victims stay, victims have developed have obtained orders of a comfort level with their protection against their advocates. abusers from their hospital "There is such a large rooms at Maricopa Medical percentage of women that Center. don't ever come and get an Typically at the end of their order of protection. They're stay, victims hospitalized at too afraid. They have all the the medical center at 24th reasons they can think of," and Roosevelt streets have Carrillo said. the opportunity to request an "(Videoconferencing) makes it order of protection by video. a lot easier for them. . . . Only three people are When they come into a court, involved in the process. The it's a lot more difficult victim is in the hospital because sometimes I might room with a domestic-violence have (other) people in court." advocate who has been taking Advocacy For the past 10 to care of the victim throughout 15 years, Maricopa Medical his or her stay. The third Center has taken a clinical person is Justice of the approach to helping domestic- Peace Rachel Carrillo from violence victims through the the county's West McDowell "Mariposa: Wings to Safety" precinct, who sits by herself domestic-violence advocacy in a courtroom. program. The process is designed to Dr. Dean Coonrod, medical create a safe, private space director of the program and so that victims feel chairman of the obstetrics comfortable enough to open up and gynecology department at about their situations. They Maricopa Medical Center, do not have to face their started the advocacy work to abusers in a courtroom help providers identify setting. victims of abuse, screen them The videoconferencing program and help them. recently was lauded Through the program, medical nationally as an innovative residents - especially those county program. It was the working in internal medicine, brainchild of Carrillo and trauma, the obstetrics and Dena Salter, family-violence gynecology clinic or the program coordinator at emergency room - are trained Maricopa Medical Center, who to detect signs of abuse. is one of the hospital's four "Why ask a question if you advocates for domestic- can't do anything about it? violence victims. Most doctors, it's a little "The victim has even more bit out of their field, power and control over the domestic violence," Coonrod situation than handing it said. over to somebody else," Domestic violence is Salter said of the program. addressed differently in a How it works When the victim, hospital setting than in a advocate and judge sit down shelter, Coonrod said. For for their videoconference, example, the culture of the judge first establishes domestic violence is what the victim's confidentiality and to find relationship is with the safety in shelters. In a abuser and asks what happened. hospital setting, doctors She examines the victim's want to ask victims about injuries, such as marks on their situation so they know the face or bruised and how to provide them with swollen eyes. proper health care. And there If the judge grants an order is a certain sense of urgency of protection, the victim and in a hospital setting, advocate can see it right Coonrod said, because victims away on their computer who come to the emergency screens and print the order. rooms need to be treated The victim and advocate quickly, and some victims' discuss how to most injuries are severe. efficiently serve the order Victim advocates are on the abuser while keeping available 24/7. They do not the victim safe. They discuss provide counseling and whether to go to police or instead let victims know they give the order to the have resources if they want Maricopa County Sheriff's to seek help. They tell Office to serve to the victims they can call or come defendant. The victim can into the hospital any time serve it right away or hold they need help. onto the order until he or Carrillo said it was helpful she is ready. The defendant that the hospital already had can request a hearing within an established advocacy 10 days. program. "We all should reach "They're actually able to get out and do this kind of everything done while they're (work)," Carrillo said. "It's there, because this is the such a wonderful program that time, especially when you're a couple of judges have been leaving the hospital - you're asking me, (saying) 'I want either going to do it or to do this.' " you're not," Carrillo said.
Tags: County, Domestic, help, Maricopa, victims, video, Violence
