The Kendall County Domestic Violence Response Team

Image: Kendall County Courthouse

The Kendall County Domestic Violence Response Team (DVRT) was created in January of 2020 after Kendall County State’s Attorney, Eric Weis, contacted Mutual Ground looking for different ways to support victims during their participation in the criminal justice process. State’s Attorney Weis gathered key stakeholders from the community who together created a multi-disciplinary team approach to improve the outcome of these cases and the victims impacted.

Several different roles within the DVRT work together to provide victims with opportunities that might have otherwise been unavailable to them. The Kendall County State’s Attorney’s Office acts as the prosecutor, whose job is to represent the state and present the case in criminal court against the individual accused of committing the crime. The Kendall County Sheriff’s Office Detective acts as the role of the investigator, whose job it is to gather evidence to inform the prosecution of the crime. The Kendall County Health Department serves as a community resource to provide victims with resources such as housing, utility assistance, counseling, and many other services. The Mutual Ground victim advocate’s role is to support the victims and allow them to participate directly in the criminal justice process.

The DVRT focuses on victim safety and abuser accountability by improving victim participation throughout the criminal case. Criminal cases can sometimes take over a year to be closed; it can be challenging for a victim to stay engaged throughout the entire process. Victims are often critical witnesses in these cases. The DVRT detective works with local law enforcement to gather evidence such as photographs and recorded statements. Collecting other forms of evidence allows some of the burden to be taken off of the victim.

Mutual Ground plays the role of advocating for the victim. By providing the victim with an individual advocate, we can support them in many different ways. Many victims might not have support from friends or family in these situations, which can create a barrier to them leaving the abusive relationship. We can also connect these victims to other services and support them in removing obstacles to seeking safety.

Mutual Ground’s involvement in the DVRT is currently limited to one county. We are honored to provide support for victims of domestic batter and violations of orders of protection in Kendall County. People interested in other medical or legal support services or counseling can always call our hotline to connect with an advocate or a therapist for free services. Our services are currently available in person or via telehealth.

Written by
Jenna Nacht
Legal Advocate at Mutual Ground