The Falls County Task Force promotes a strong message that "Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, and Sexual Abuse Has No Place in Our Community" through collaborative leadership, communication, education, and victim support. The Falls County Task Force (FCTF) moves forward as of June 5, 2020 with the mission of educating the community, providing awareness of domestic violence, child abuse and sexual abuse issues, offering resources, support, and practical services to victims and their children.
Meetings are to be held once a month. The Falls County Task Force is made up of members from various Falls County agencies whose primary focus is the prevention and eradication of domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual abuse within Falls County. The Task Force’s current focus is on identifying potential lethality in domestic violence situations and ways to prevent lethality from occurring. The Task Force is also working to improve communication between the various departments on the taskforce.
· Promote Awareness and Prevention - To intervene as early as possible in the prevention of domestic violence, and abuse. To improve the processes that we utilize to respond to domestic violence, child abuse and sexual abuse to ensure that families have resources and support that they need to heal and move on.
· Improve Response - The Task Force provides opportunities for collaborative problem solving, share knowledge, hear about initiatives that are being planned, connect with other service providers/agencies, and contribute solutions that may not be known to other members during discussions. Promotes greater engagement and provides an opportunity to focus on systems change and policy development. Insures and promotes effective apprehension and prosecution of all abuse cases.
· Provide Training Opportunities – To provide training that will better equip those in the response system to meet the needs of victims. Family Violence training, Child Abuse training, and Sexual Assault training to include, Domestic Violence, photographs, Strangulation, Bond Conditions, lethality assessment tools, importance of a multi-discipline response, preventative strategies, and cross-reporting.
· Reduce Family Violence Related Calls- The Falls County Task Force as a community partner to advocate for social change to end domestic violence. To monitor the agency’s response to domestic violence and the impact of their coordinated efforts on helping victims. Strong working relationships will be formed within the group to provide a unified response on all Domestic Violence Calls for Service within Falls County. Empowerment and education of victims of domestic violence leading to the termination of abusive relationships, thus breaking the cycle of domestic violence - one family at a time
· Build Resources and Support to Assist Victims - Provide a clear direction on allocating resources, nonprofits, and other agencies involved in domestic violence outreach prevention and crisis management. These and others recognized the value of coming together with elected leadership and representatives from the criminal justice community to ensure that the voice of the victim is heard and represented and provide greater access to legal and social services.
Finally, the Task Force recognizes that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach to protecting adult victims of domestic violence and their children. However, with increased resources, training, and collaboration among community partners, DFPS, law enforcement, and other professionals in this field, we believe Falls County can make positive strides toward healthier outcomes for children and families affected by violence and abuse.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Domestic Violence can be defined as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner or family member. Abuse can take many forms including physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats. The abuse may include behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure or wound an intimate partner. Domestic violence can happen to anyone - regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender.
In a legal context, Texas defines "Family Violence," as "an act by a member of a family or household against another member of the family or household that is intended to result in physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault or that is a threat that reasonably places the member in fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault, but does not include defensive measures to protect oneself." Family violence may also include child abuse or dating violence.
FAMILY VIOLENCE DISTRICT ATTORNEY PROSECUTION
Falls County District Attorney, Jody Gilliam is dedicated to prosecuting cases related to family violence, dating violence and child abuse. The dedicated Falls County prosecutors handle all felony and misdemeanor cases of family violence, dating violence and child abuse. District Attorney, Jody Gilliam, elevated the status of these types of cases and highlighted her commitment by creating the Special Crimes division in January of 2017.
FAMILY AND VICTIM JUSTICE
The Falls County District Attorney’s Office provides a Crime Victim’s Coordinator to provide advocacy, services, and the resources necessary to assist victims and families of domestic violence and abuse in one centralized location. With access to multiple resources, the Crime Victim’s Coordinator utilizes a collaborative community response to domestic violence. The Crime Victim’s Coordinator brings together and utilizes, numerous domestic violence organizations which include and represent government, private, non-profit, and faith-based communities, providing advocates, counselors, legal assistance, law enforcement and prosecutors. This strategic and coordinated utilization of services increases the potential of success for victims of domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual abuse. Crime Victim’s Coordinator is committed to helping all victims of domestic violence and abuse, including men, women, and children of any age, economic, social, religious, or ethnic group, and does not discriminate against any victim.
SERVICES AVAILABLE
Victims of domestic violence can find a variety of services available in one location, making it easy to get the help they need.
o Intake Services: Assistance identifying the best resources to meet the victim's needs.
o Basic Needs: Assistance with housing, financial aid, food, medical care, clothing, and other basic needs.
o Criminal Justice Intervention: Assistance with applying for a protective order or pressing charges.
o Civil Legal Services: Civil legal assistance for issues associated with the family, contracts, and more.
o Chaplain Services: Interfaith spiritual guidance and support services.
o Child Protective Services (CPS): Information and intervention when needed from CPS.
o Counseling Services: Individual and group counseling.
o Law Enforcement Services: Assistance with filing charges and initiating criminal justice.
o Life Skills: Assistance with job and education opportunities, financial management, and other life skills.
o Medical Services: Assistance with receiving medical assistance.
Amber Howell Jessica Ehlers
Special Crimes Investigator Victims Assistance Coordinator Falls Falls County District Attorney's Office Falls County District Attorney's Office
125 Bridge St., Ste. 309 125 Bridge St., Ste. 309
Marlin, Texas 76661 Marlin, Texas 76661
254-883-1416/17 Phone: 254.883.1416
Fax: 254.883.1418 Fax 254-883-1418
Cell: 254-252-9427 Email fallscountyvac@gmail.com
Email fcda.scinvestigator@co.falls.tx.us
