North Hills Advocate Creates Voice for Abused Women in Legal System

Bubbly and articulate, Allison Martin, a legal advocate for Crisis Center North, appears each Wednesday in in West View —but rarely does she speak directly to the judge. 

Negotiating behind the scenes on behalf of victims of domestic violence, she charms and persuades law enforcement officials and lawyers to resolve cases in ways that meet her client's wishes, often before the judge needs to intervene. 

"To me, a victory is when a victim gets what they want out of the legal or criminal justice system, not necessarily what everyone else wants for them," said Martin, 26, of Ross Township. 

"I find that 95 percent of the time, they do," she said. "Between the two of us, myself and the victim, we do eventually get what they want out of the system." 

Martin works part time for the North Hills nonprofit, which has helped victims— most often women — of domestic violence in the area for 34 years. It provides counseling and support services as well as legal assistance, all at no cost. 

In 2011, the agency's legal arm helped about 1,400 victims. In her 25-hour-a- week workweek, Martin covers nine magistrate offices, including Opiela's. It's not unheard of for her to assist seven to eight women at each district court.

Perhaps more notably, Martin has helped the nonprofit become more effective in the five years she has worked there. Before her arrival, Crisis Center North didn't have much of a presence among its peers, said Erin Varner, supervisor of its advocacy services.

Martin has become the face of the agency and tackled the bureaucracy of the criminal justice system, building relationships in a way that has significantly improved the program, Varner said. 

"She's really great with systems," Varner said, adding that Martin's pounding the pavement and outgoing personality have opened lines of communication. 

“Even some of the most hardened law enforcement officers, they get to be puppy dogs around her," Varner said. 

That's important because making the professional relationships stronger means greater access to people in positions to help the center's clients, she said. 

"That's improving victim services for everyone," Varnersaid. "She can call a police officer and get things resolved." 

In the courtroom, Martin finds stairwells and any other private spot available to consult with the women who seek her guidance in understanding the options they have ahead of them. 

She helps to interpret the legalese of the assistant district attorney or the public defender and clarifies questions the women may ask. When the woman decides on a course, Martin works to make it happen. 

"You have victims who range from not wanting to do anything at all to victims who are gung-ho, ready to prosecute and see their abusers in jail," she said.

"I don't push them one way or another in deciding how they want to pursue the case. I just tell them what their options are, listen to them, help them make the decision by letting them know that the pros and cons are, and then — once they have made a decision — I advocate to the district attorney's office and the judge for what the victim wants." 

In some cases, that may mean asking for harsh charges to be dropped in exchange for a judge's order for counseling or a temporary delay in the process that gives both victim and abuser time apart to think things through. In others, it means helping file protective orders and providing emotional support through the trial process. 

Martin has always had a passion for fighting oppression of all types but particularly against women, she said. 

It could be in part because her own mother was a victim of domestic violence, she said, but she can't point to any one moment that defined her strong feelings. 

Empathizing as she does with the women she represents, she said stress management is an important part of the job. 

"It's my job to stay pretty put together. I try not to let their emotions become my emotions," she said. "They don't want me to cry with them." 

Martin is from the Poconos area of Pennsylvania and graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor's degree in sociology after starting out as a music major. 

"My passion is to help others, and I knew I was in the wrong field," she said. 

She is working on completing her master's degree in social work at the University of Pittsburgh and expects to graduate in December. 

"I love this work," she said. "I couldn't imagine doing anything else."