How will Holly's House™ differ from Albion Fellows Bacon Center and other organizations that assist victims of intimate crimes?
Holly's House™ will not be a shelter. It's an alternative to the law enforcement agencies and Child Protection Services for victim interviews, not an alternative to Albion and the YWCA. Holly's House™ does not want to duplicate any services that already exist in the community. We will work with all these great organizations to better assist victims of intimate crimes.
What is an Advocacy Center?
By definition, an Advocate is one that . . . (1) argues for a cause, a supporter or defender; (2) one that pleads in another's behalf.
An Advocacy Center will bring those divisions of government together that respond, investigate and prosecute cases of intimate violence. It will be a separate location from the police department which will promote a private and compassionate environment where a victim will feel safe and secure in answering questions.
How will it differ from the current set-up?
Currently victims must go to the police department to file a report. The waiting area, interview room and many offices they must go to are the same as the general public would use for all types of police business. Victims feel "exposed" and vulnerable in this public environment. The Advocacy Center will have separate sides for Adults and Children; and will promote a private and safe setting for the interview process. Since all departments will be under one roof - victims need only be interviewed once by the police, prosecutors and child protective services.
How will it support Adults and Children?
Holly's House™ will have two separate "wings," one for Adult victims and one for Children. In the Adult side, domestic violence and sexual assault cases will be handled with plans for an in-house advocate to counsel victims of both types of crime. In the Child side, sexual abuse, neglect and abuse will be handled with a multi-disciplinary team approach where the Child Sex Crimes Prosecutor, Evansville Police Department and Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Sexual Violence Detectives and Child Protective Services work together. It will act as a true Child Advocacy Center.