Domestic violence advocacy program to roll out citywide in New Orleans
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A domestic violence advocacy program that started in part of New Orleans last year is slated to expand to the rest of the city by the end of 2023.
Why it matters: The New Orleans Family Justice Center program pairs advocates with domestic violence survivors to discuss safety options.
- Nearly half the survivors follow up with the program for services, and 4 of every 5 requests more resources and referrals.
Driving the news: Three children were killed in a suspected domestic violence arson just a day before city officials planned to review a new report marking Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
- In May, New Orleans mother Asia Davis died in another high-profile suspected domestic violence fatality after she made a string of calls over several weeks asking for help.
- The New Orleans Health Department report is the latest in a series of data reviews analyzing domestic violence in 2020.
- That year, NOHD identified 10 domestic abuse fatalities, eight of which were attributed to family violence.
Zoom in: The NOFJC program requires an advocate to call a domestic violence survivor after NOPD has made a related arrest or report.
- Advocates reach out to survivors at least three times, and they may use language lines to ensure clear communication with those who don't speak English.
- The program was piloted in NOPD's 3rd District, which covers Gentilly and Lakeview, May 2022-May 2023. Advocates reached survivors in nearly a third of 897 cases within four days of an incident.
- It has since rolled out to the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 8th districts as well, covering Mid-City, Treme, Algiers, New Orleans East and the French Quarter.
What they're saying: The program "is working," says New Orleans Health Department director Jennifer Avegno. "When you get almost 50% of people who are contacted to follow up, that is tremendous. In work like this, 50% is batting it out of the park."
By the numbers: The NOFJC asks survivors they work with to complete "danger assessments," which can help indicate potential risks. Though not all choose to complete them, the organization completed 831 such assessments in 2022.
- Over 62% scored for "extreme danger."
- So far in 2023, the organization has completed 744 assessments, with 58% scoring for "extreme danger."
Between the lines: There's still more the city can do to reduce domestic violence, City Council members said in an Oct. 19 meeting.
- New Orleans has been slow to adopt Gwen's Law hearings, say Councilmembers JP Morrell and Helena Moreno. The state codified the hearings in 2017 to allow prosecutors to share evidence to support keeping an offender jailed until trial without the opportunity to make bond.
- In Jefferson Parish, 150 Gwen's Law hearings are held on average monthly.
- In Orleans Parish, less than 5 per month were held in the first half of the year, according to data from Moreno's office.
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