A new County outreach campaign to victims in Montgomery County Maryland is placing large signs on buses and in bus shelters reaching out to anyone suffering from domestic violence. The ads ask “Are you afraid of your partner?” Ads are in both English and Spanish and share emergency crisis phone numbers.
County Executive Leggett as well as the Chief of Police Manger, Sheriff Popkin and Assistant State’s Attorney Feinstein all spoke at the press conference.
Unfortunately, it is very hard to measure how many victims of domestic violence there may be in our communities who are unaware that help is available. Confidential help is available from the police at 911, the Family Justice Center, or Abused Persons Program, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or immigration status.
Although Court Watch focuses like a laser on expanding justice in courtrooms for domestic violence victims, we made a small contribution to this campaign. We hope a large number of victims see the add and reach out for help.
The campaign shows the growth of a strong coalition to stop domestic violence in Montgomery County. Court Watch plans to reach out to other non-profits who deal with victims of domestic violence and their children to garner their support for court reforms.