By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Pima County is providing $250,000 in funding to address domestic violence services as the county continues to see more calls to its victim services line.
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Sara Moody, the county’s victim services director, said about 85% of the calls her office receives are domestic violence-related, and current funding does not match that need.
Some of the funding will go toward after-hours victim services and advocacy run by the county attorney’s office and the Emerge Center Against Domestic Abuse, where advocates go to the scene of incidents with law enforcement.
Advocates provide emotional support and give victims information about whatever they need at the time, Moody said.
The county is currently lacking the staff to consistently support victims overnight, on weekends, and on holidays. Moody said the funding will allow more advocates to be hired.
“Once they see us and see that support, they know somebody’s in their corner and that somebody’s hearing them, that somebody’s listening to them, and somebody believes them,” Moody said.
Funding will also go toward continuing the Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault’s follow-up strangulation exams related to incidents of domestic violence. The exams are done separately from the initial, day-of forensic exams in the hospital.
“With strangulation, we recognize there are some injuries that can progress or present in days to even weeks following that assault,” said Katlyn Monje, the center’s director.
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Without county funding, the program was in jeopardy of ending as grant money was set to expire, and funding for this type of exam is not mandated federally or by the state.
“When strangulation is present, the likelihood of death within that intimate partnership escalates exponentially; it’s one of the leading causes of death in domestic violence relationships when strangulation has occurred,” Monje said.
Money will also go toward strengthening the Emerge Center’s emergency shelter support and toward the county’s efforts to remove firearms from the homes of domestic violence perpetrators.
“The healing and safety of survivors is foundational and not optional,” Monje said.
Moody said the work is important as domestic violence can also impact the children, family, and friends of the victim.
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