By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Juab County needs a full-time victim's advocate.
As for payment of wages, the city has been asked to
help. The council determined they would take the question
under advisement.
Jared Eldridge, Juab County Attorney, and Amy Taylor,
one of the two victim's advocates in the county, met with
Nephi City Council to request that the position be funded by
Nephi City along with Juab County.
"It would be fair to put it out up front that we are
here looking for money," said Eldridge.
Money comes to the program through the Victims of
Crime Act and the Crime Victims Reparation Fund through the
state.
The Victim Advocacy Program provides help and services
to victims of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault and
stalking.
In Juab County, the two victim's advocates, Annette
Lovell is the other person who serves in this position, is
always available to help women who are victims of domestic
violence, sexual assault/rape or stalking.
The Victim Advocate can help by providing the
following services: 24 hour on-call, crisis intervention,
safety planning and court support.
They offer assistance filing protective orders, civil
stalking injunctions and applications for Utah Legal
Services and Crime Victim Reparations, resource referrals
(shelters, mental health counseling, workforce services and
Adult Protective Services, DCFS).
They also arrange transportation as needed.
"The victims advocate program started in our area
three years ago," said Eldridge, "when I assigned Annette
Lovell to put together a VOCA plan."
With Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding from OVC
(Office of Victims of Crime), state agencies within the
United States and U.S. territories have established
compensation programs to reimburse crime victims and
assistance programs to offer victim services.
At first, he said, one half-time employee was funded
but it was decided that there should be two half-time
advocates.
Lovell, from the county attorney's office and Taylor,
from the Juab County Sheriff's Office, each are allowed 10
hours per week on the advocacy program.
However, Eldridge said, the work often took more time
than that and the sheriff and himself often had to allow
more time for the two women to do the job needed.
"As we have worked with the program, it has become
obvious that we really do have a lot of victims of crimes in
Juab County," he said.
It is good that the there is now a "soft" room where
victims can be interviewed. There are blankets and even
stuffed animals for those who have been victimized and are
suffering trauma as a result. The Victim's Center has
proved to be an excellent resource.
Victims often are forced to leave their homes at
mid-night, said Taylor. "We have blankets, hygiene kits
and things for the kids," she said.
The majority of the cost of the center has been
supplied by the Shelter for Women and Children in Utah
County.
"The program has been funded for three years by VOCA,"
said Eldridge.
The county commission, said Eldridge, did not think it
was possible for them to fund the entire one-half FTE
compensation to match the VOCA money.
"We have come to ask the city to fund one-quarter of
the FTE for a full-time advocate," said Eldridge. "We will
then go back to the county and ask them to fund the other
one-fourth."
Added to the one-half employee fund received through
the OVC, the three sources, would add up to a salary for a
full-time victims advocate being hired for the area.
"We propose to have the position begin in January
2008," said Eldridge.
He said he knew the city was getting ready to plan for
a new budget which would be completed by the end of June. He
wanted the council to consider adding the funding to the
budget as they went through the annual budget process.
Nephi, as the largest community in the county, also
has the largest number of victims who need the care of an
advocate as they move through the legal system. The majority
of victims come from inside the city. Therefore, he said,
the citizens of the city do benefit from the program.
"We know you are sympathetic to victims of crimes," he
said.
"The statistics are people. These are not just numbers
but are our primary victims who have been perpetrated upon,"
said Eldridge.
The list which had been accumulated, he said, did not
include the secondary victims. A "secondary victim" means:
if the victim is an adult, the spouse or child of the adult
victim; and if the victim is a child, the parent or sibling
of the child victim.
Taylor said that victims do not stay overnight at the
center. If that type of shelter is needed, the advocate
arranges for shelter but, currently, that is outside the
county.
"We bring the victim in and get them away from a
stressful situation," Taylor said.
"All of a sudden, Nephi is on the radar," said
Eldridge.
The community is being considered as a possible site
for a women and children's center.
In addition to programs offered to serve a victim,
psychiatrists can now travel to Nephi to help with
counseling.
The program will continue to be overseen by the county
attorney's office and office space for a full time employee
would be provided.
Brent Bowles, city council member, said that though
Nephi was the biggest city in the county, Mona was growing
quickly and, perhaps, should be approached about
contributing to the advocate fund.
"I think it is a great thing for our community," said
Bowles.
Those working with victims must have the proper
training, said Eldridge. The two women who are currently
working in the program are well-trained, he said.
Volunteers should also be trained before they can work
as advocates.
If a full-time advocate could be hired, said Taylor,
the advocate would have time to provide education on a local
level which might also help local ecclesiastical leader's
with helpful knowledge.
It is always difficult to interview victims,
especially young ones, said Eldridge.
"It is difficult to sit in an office and talk to a
five-year old who has had done to her what should never be
done," he said.
Having a better atmosphere to conduct the interview
and having advocates there to help always made the
unpleasant task better for the victim.
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