Page 26 - Delaware Lawyer - Spring 2023

FEATURE
Needed
Erica Davis
Volunteers
Domestic violence
Survivors of intimate partner/domestic violence want to be heard and
believed. Above all else, they want to feel safe. For some, court intervention advocates are a vital is necessary for their safety and well-being, but navigating the civil and
resource for survivors
criminal justice system can be intimidating for survivors.
24 DELAWARE LAWYER SPRING 2023
Additionally, court outcomes are often dependent on the sur vi- vor’s engagement and participa- tion with the justice system and those outcomes could factor into a sur vi- vor’s future decisions. Court-based domestic-violence victim advocates, like those of CHILD, Inc.’s Domestic
Violence Advocacy Program (DVAP), are ready to walk with survivors as they engage with the civil justice system.
Advocates are a vital resource for survivors, providing them with lifesav- ing services, information and support. Beginning in 1992 as a volunteer-led initiative, DVAP has provided safe