Victims of sexual and domestic crimes have an advocate in Amherst
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AMHERST - Ilana Gerjuoy has a touchy job: She has to gain the trust of victims who have been hurt to their very core - they've been sexually assaulted or beaten by a loved one.
They are scared, maybe still in danger and sometimes angry at a criminal justice system they think let them down.
"I basically let them know I'm there for them," said Gerjuoy, who gets involved in a case the day after an incident occurs. "A lot of times people feel more comfortable reporting to police once they understand what the process will be like."
Her title is "civilian advocate." The intention, said Becky Lockwood of the Everywoman's Center where Gerjuoy is employed, is to demystify the process for victims in the hope of increasing the number of people who will pursue a criminal complaint.
"Overall, we want people to feel more comfortable coming forward," Lockwood said.
In the first six months she's been on the job for the Amherst and University of Massachusetts police, Gerjuoy has worked with 70 victims of domestic and dating violence, sexual assaults, harassment and stalking, as well as more than a dozen family members who are also affected by the violence. Some of these she continues to speak with at least once a week.
Amherst Police Capt. Jennifer Gundersen notes that officers responding to the scene of a crime often don't have time to follow through, that all they may be able to do is give a business card, with phone numbers, to the victim.
"She's a clear head and a clear voice for a survivor in what has been a volatile situation," Gundersen said of Gerjuoy.
Reaching out
Before she attempts to reach a victim, Gerjuoy talks to the responding officers and reads their incident reports. She has offices at the Amherst and UMass police stations, and at the Everywoman's Center at UMass, where she can meet confidentially with people. Victims can leave private messages for her on her work cellphone.
"Most people call me back if I reach out to them," she said.
When they do, she's ready with support, which may include assisting someone to get an abuse-prevention order or accompanying a college student to the dean's office if that needs to be part of the process. She can help find shelter, cash assistance or therapy if it is warranted.
She also handles safety planning, determining the danger a victim may still face and collaborating with organizations such as Safe Passage for both emotional and logistical support.
And she helps the police.
Gerjuoy can explain to a victim why officers have to ask personal and difficult questions, Gundersen said. At the same time, she gives police a better sense of the victims, said Gundersen, helping them understand, for instance, why a woman who was choked by her husband is reluctant to pursue charges.
Gundersen said from a law enforcement perspective, the problem is that victims often will decline to follow through with charges because they are disillusioned with the process or don't understand the resources available to them. Gerjuoy, she said, helps a victim gain confidence in the criminal justice system and explains what help is available.
"Ilana is able to work with them through what is a really difficult process," said Gundersen. "We hope it will make our jobs more successful in prosecuting domestic and sexual assault cases."
From Gerjuoy's point of view, the statistics are on her side.
"Research shows that when survivors are working with any kind of advocate they are more likely to report and stick with the process once they do report," she said.
But still, said Gundersen, the focus for Gerjuoy is on the victim. "The overall goal," Gundersen said, "is to keep the survivor safe."
New resources
Gerjuoy, 36, has 15 years of experience as an advocate, counselor and educator in the field of domestic and sexual assault. She is state certified as a rape crisis and domestic violence counselor. She has served on a statewide committee that recommended new law enforcement guidelines for domestic and sexual assaults and also was a member of the Hampshire County Sexual Assault Response Team and the Steering Committee for the District Attorney's Office Domestic Violence High Risk Team.
Gerjuoy first began assisting the departments three years ago when the Everywoman's Center, where she is on staff, obtained a grant allowing her to spend two days a week assisting the Amherst and UMass police. Gundersen said her presence was so helpful to Amherst police that the chief found money in his budget to keep her on four hours a week when that grant expired.
The position was restored to its previous level at both the Amherst Police Department and UMass when a $173,643 federal Department of Justice grant, known as Community Defined Solutions to Violence Against Women, was awarded to the departments last October.
The grant provides extensive training so police officers can better assist victims in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender communities, those who are disabled and those who don't speak English. The grant will pay for what are called language lines, where an interpreter will be available to help officers communicate with victims and offer community resources. Some of the money is also being used to buy equipment that will make prosecution of crimes easier, such as better evidence kits, cameras able to take sharper pictures and audio recorders to take victim statements. These will be placed in Amherst and UMass cruisers.
Civilian input
Lockwood, associate director of rape crisis and violence prevention services at Everywoman's Center, wrote the grant application, which was submitted by the Amherst Police Department.
"It recognizes the importance of having a civilian in the criminal justice system and having that follow up that is not just based on whether a case will go forward," Lockwood said. "With our civilian advocate in place, we are able to reach people who it may not occur to them to call a hotline," for help.
Gerjuoy points out that she has different training than police officers, bringing skills in safety planning and counseling, as well as work in handling rape and domestic crises.
"I think collaboration is the key to successfully advocating for victims and survivors," Gerjuoy said. "Collaboration ensures that no one will fall through the cracks."
While her role is similar to victim-witness advocates, who work through the courts, being able to focus on one community, even one with a large university in it, allows Gerjuoy to build a more personal relationship with the victims, she said. She also is able to work with them over a longer period of time, she said, not just while a case is wending its way through the courts.
A risky business
The job, though, has a downside for her.
Because the defendants in her cases are often dangerous, volatile people, she's at risk herself, so she tries to keep a low profile in the community. In fact, some places that employ advocates allow them only to give out their first names, she said.
"This can be critical if the victim is trying to leave the relationship and reduce the risk of violence after seeking services," said Gerjuoy, who declined to have her face shown in photos for this story for safety reasons. "The policy can also reduce the likelihood of retaliation again advocates, which is rare but happens occasionally."
'Cutting edge'
In addition to her work with victims, Gerjuoy also leads training at both police departments in areas such as how to handle sexual assaults on people with disabilities, older adults and adolescents and how to work with the LGBT communities as well as immigrant and non-English speaking populations.
UMass Police Chief Johnny Whitehead said Gerjuoy has provided good advice on policies and on how the department can connect with the campus community, making students more willing to report violations and crimes. "She's able to follow up to a greater extent than officers can," Whitehead said. "They have confidence in her to be able to reach out to a victim or survivor."
Amherst Police Chief Scott Livingstone also praised her services. "She's been a great resource and addition to the police department," he said.
"It says a lot about their commitment to the work," Gerjuoy said of the police chiefs. "It means a lot to me that they have invited me into the station."
Civilian advocacy remains a relatively new phenomenon, Gerjuoy said, with many law enforcement agencies and rape and domestic centers embracing such collaboration within the last decade.
"It is best practice to have a civilian advocate," she said. "It is considered cutting edge."
Though the grant will end in a year, both departments are already looking at ways the position can be expanded. Gundersen said she would like to bring the program to other communities and perhaps get a second civilian advocate to assist with the caseload in Amherst.
"We're not unique in the need for it," Gundersen said. "We're unique in being able to find the resources."
For her part, Gerjuoy said she gets satisfaction out of seeing people blossom and take back their lives after being hurt physically and emotionally.
"I feel so lucky to have such meaningful work," Gerjuoy said. "I truly believe the advocacy I provide and the support I give make a difference."
