Lauderdale County District Attorney’s Office

One Place of the Shoals, Inc. is a collaborative effort to provide services to victims of domestic violence, adult rape and sexual assault, child sexual and physical abuse, and elder abuse in one location.

 

One Place of the Shoals, Inc. uses the Family Justice Center model, providing one place for victims to talk to an advocate, plan for their safety, have forensic evidence collected, interview with law enforcement, meet with a lawyer, receive information on shelter, and get help with transportation.

 

THE PROBLEM: The current system that provides services to the victims of the above crimes can be lengthy and confusing. It forces victims in crisis to seek out services in multiple locations from multiple agencies. Victims, many with children in tow, are re-victimized trying to navigate between the emergency room, the police department, the magistrate’s office, the counseling center, the lawyer’s office, the clerk’s office, the Judge’s office, social services office, and court. They get discouraged as they are forced to tell and re-tell their stories to new strangers at every turn in open places where the offender may show up to at any time. This leads to victims giving up and never getting the services they need. Instead they may feel stuck in dangerous, abusive and life-threatening situations, and continue to suffer at the hands of the offender.

 

THE SOLUTION: Victims need one place to obtain services. They need dedicated and trained professionals providing services in one place. They need someone they can trust and someone who will walk this journey with them from the beginning to whatever place they need to be. They need to be certain that offenders are held accountable.

 

This is what One Place of the Shoals, Inc. will do. It will provide centralized, collaborated, professional services, ensuring safety and services for victims. It will be a safe and caring environment for victims of domestic violence, rape, and sexual assault, child sexual and physical abuse, and elder abuse, where multiple agencies provide services under one roof in one place.

 

One Place of the Shoals, Inc. cannot provide these vital services without complete support and buy-in from the community. One Place will turn victims into survivors. Won’t you help us?