Army Community Service (ACS)
B.4700 Mow-Way
Phone: (580)442-5018/6801
Email: Lisa Jansen Rees

“Victim Advocacy Program”

The Family Advocacy Victim Advocacy Program is a specialized function within FAP providing comprehensive assistance and liaison to and for victims of spouse abuse, dating violence and sexual assault. The victim advocate serves as the primary point of contact (POC) (integrated within the existing FAP) to insure timely and complete care is provided to victims of spouse abuse and sexual assault. Victim advocates provide information on resources available to assist victims of spouse abuse and sexual assault. Victim advocates will maintain contact with the victim throughout the medical, investigative, counseling, and judicial process.

  • If this is an emergency call 911
  • If you feel you need to speak to an advocate immediately call 574-0871
  • If you would rather speak to a non-military advocate call 1-800-799-7233
  • National Support Hotline 211

What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic abuse is a pattern of behaviors used to establish power and control over an intimate partner through fear and intimidation, often including the threat or use of violence. Abuse is any controlling, hurtful act, word, or gesture that injuries another body or emotions. Domestic abuse is not a disagreement, a marital spat, a communication or an anger management problem. The violence can take many forms, such as verbal, emotional/psychological, financial and physical and usually escalates in severity.

It is a crime for any person to cause you any physical injury or harm EVEN if that person is your spouse. Spouse Abuse is the assault, battery, threat to injure, kill, any other act of force or violence, or emotional maltreatment inflicted by one intimate partner (including ex partners) on the other. No matter what you may believe, nothing you say or do causes your partner to behave violently toward you, and it is impossible for you to prevent your partners assaults by being the perfect spouse.

Types of domestic violence:

  • Physical – grabbing, pushing, holding, slapping, choking, punching, sitting or standing on, kicking, hitting with objects, and assaulting with knives, firearms or other weapons.
  • Sexual – forcible sexual activity by one’s intimate partner.
  • Emotional – threats of violence, mental degradation (name calling, etc.), isolation.

Warning Signs:

  • Your partner acts very controlling and embarrasses you with bad names and put downs in front of others.
  • Your partner acts extremely jealous of others who pay attention to you.
  • You become quiet when your partner is around and you seem afraid of making them angry.
  • You stop seeing your friends and family members, becoming more and more isolated.
  • Your partner takes your money and/or makes you ask for money.
  • Your partner controls what you do, whom you see or talk to, and even where you go.
  • Your child is frequently upset or withdrawn and won’t say why.
  • Your partner acts like the abuse is not a big deal, it’s your fault, or even denies doing it.
  • You often cancel plans at the last minute.
  • You see your partner violently loose their temper, striking or breaking objects.
  • You often have injuries (from violence) that are explained to others as accidents.
  • You mention your partner’s violent behavior, but laugh it off as a joke.

Reporting Options

  • Restricted Reporting
    • Available to Family Members and Active Duty Soldiers
    • No law enforcement or command involvement
    • Medical treatment, counseling and limited advocacy available
    • Shelter available
    • Safety precautions such as Protective Orders not available
      Limited to speaking with an Advocate, Healthcare provider and/or Chaplain about the abuse (anyone else must or could report it to police or command
  • Unrestricted Reporting
    • Available to Family Members and Active Duty Soldiers
    • Medical treatment, counseling and advocacy available
    • Shelter available
    • Emergency travel may be possible
    • Case is reported to Law Enforcement and Command
    • Safety precautions such as protective orders available
    • Abuser could be held accountable
    • Can speak to whomever needs to know

Safety Planning

What can I Do to Be Safe?
According to the American Bar Association, Safety Planning is critical for people who have been battered or threatened by their intimate partners. The danger of violence, including the risk of death, escalates when a domestic violence survivor attempts to leave a batterer. If you or someone you know is planning to leave an abuser or to take any legal or financial steps to separate, you must plan for safety. It is also crucial to have a safety plan if you or someone you know continues to live with a batterer.

  • Open a bank account.
  • Leave money, an extra set of keys, copies of important documents and extra clothes with someone you can trust.
  • Determine who would be able to let you stay with them or lend you some money.
  • Keep the shelter, police and victim advocacy numbers close at hand at all times.
  • Review your safety plan as often as possible to ensure immediate recall in emergency situations.

Why you want to call the police?

  • They can protect you from immediate danger and help you and your children get out of the house safely.
  • They can arrest the abuser, when the police officer has good reason to believe that an assault has taken place or that the abuser has violated a protective order.
  • They can advise you of the availability of shelter programs and other services in your area.
  • They can write out a police report, which an account of what happened to you. If they don’t take a report, ask that they take a statement from you.
  • A police report may be used to help prove the abuse occurred, should the charges be filed against the abuser.
  • A police report can be used to show good cause for the courts to grant a protective order if you should ever need one.

Shelters

  • Comanche National Crisis Hotline: 580-492-3590

  • Shelters are established to provide emergency shelter and support services to victims of family violence and sexual assault in a protective environment. Services include a 24-hour emergency hotline, immediate safe shelter, provision of food and clothing, transportation and crisis intervention counseling. These shelters also provides referrals for medical, legal, and social services in the community.  Although male victims of abuse and violence are not housed in the shelter, they should call the hotline as other arrangements can be made.

Protective Orders

Through the Victim Advocacy Program protective orders may be requested as an additional form of safety precautions for the victim and the family. There are two kinds of protective orders. Designed to assist in the prevention of further violence by mandated separation.

Civilian Protective Order (CPO): can be obtained from the county court-house and is issued by a county court judge.

Military Protective Order (MPO): Can be obtained via Victim Advocate requesting one from the offender’s Commander.

To apply for a Protective Order, contact the Victim Advocacy Program at (580)442-6801. Victim advocates can help you prepare the petition and go with you to the courthouse to file it. You can apply for a protective order in person at the Comanche County Courthouse on your own as well or with the help of a private attorney or legal aid service program. The application must be filed in the county in which you or the alleged offender lives.

To further discuss Protective Orders and request assistance in seeking Protective Orders contact the Victim Advocacy Program at (580)442-6801.

Accompaniment

At a victim’s request, the victim advocate may accompany the client.

To all case related appointments such as:

  • Medical exam.
  • Interviews with Law Enforcement/Investigators (CID, local police)
  • Interviews with legal counsel, trial counsel and defense

Victim Rights

A victim, guardian of a victim, or close relative of a deceased victim is entitled to the following rights within the criminal justice system:

  • The right to be treated with fairness, dignity, and a respect for privacy.
  • The right to be reasonably protected from the accused offender.
  • The right to be notified of court proceedings.
  • The right to be present at all public court proceedings related to the offense, unless the court determines that testimony by the victim would be materially affected if the victim heard other testimony at trial, or for other good causes.
  • The right to confer with the attorney for the Government in the case.
  • The right to restitution, if appropriate.
  • The right to information regarding conviction, sentencing, imprisonment, and release of the offender from custody.

Installation Victim Advocates

  • Trenehe Rucker
  • Lorene Stamper
  • Susan Haggag
  • Arlonda Walker – Franklin
  • Deicia Dillard

Military and Community Resources

  • Army Community Service, (580)442-4916
  • 24hr Fort Sill Victim Advocacy Program, (580)574-0871
  • Social Work Services, (580)442-2836
  • Legal Assistance, (580)442-5058
  • Inspector General, (580)442-3176
  • New Directions DV Hotline, (580)357-2500
  • Armed Services YMCA, (580)355-5520
  • Legal Aid of Western Oklahoma, (580)248-4677
  • Military One Source, (800)342-9647
  • Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, 1(800)522-7233
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline, (800)799-7233