Arlington County Government: Arlington County Police Recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Press release from the Arlington County Government:

2021-10-07

According to the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, 70,252 survivors received help from hotline services. In total, 5,762 adults and children received shelter for a total of 216,968 nights last year in Virginia. In Arlington specifically, at least two residents reach out to crisis support services related to a domestic violence incident every day.

“Eliminating domestic violence in our community requires a steadfast commitment to collaborative prevention and response efforts,” said Chief of Police Andy Penn. “Partnerships with our community safety net programs are an important component of our efforts to provide services and support to victims and respond to and investigate these incidents effectively.”

Responding to Domestic Violence Incidents 

Arlington County Police made 223 arrests for domestic assault in 2020. The Department is committed to reducing these incidences and the severity of domestic violence in our community by holding perpetrators accountable for their actions. In July, the Department began participating in the Virginia Lethality Assessment Program (LAP), a collaborative effort between the Virginia Office of the Attorney General (OAG), the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, and the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services.

The LAP is a multi-pronged intervention based upon a national model developed by the Maryland Network to End Domestic Violence in 2005. It evaluates individuals involved in domestic or sexual violence incidents for certain risk factors that may lead to an increased rate of violence in the future. This evaluation serves as an effective method for law enforcement and other community professionals to identify victims of domestic violence who are at the highest risk of being seriously injured or killed by their intimate partners. It also serves as a way to connect them with local domestic violence assistance programs immediately.

Raising Awareness for Domestic Violence and Ways to Get Involved

As part of our efforts to raise awareness about incidences of domestic violence in our community, many Arlington County Police vehicles will display purple ribbons on them, donated by Doorways, during October. Each magnet has contact information for the 24-Hour Domestic & Sexual Violence Hotline, 703-237-0881, which provides the public with free and confidential support.

This year, ACPD, Project PEACE, and other community partners are hosting pop-up events throughout October to engage with the community, promote healthy relationships, provide resources, offer support and increase awareness about the signs of domestic violence and how to seek assistance.

From October 17-24, Arlington will hold its annual Domestic Violence Week of Action. As part of ACPD’s recognition of this week, Department personnel and the public are encouraged to wear purple in support of survivors on Purple Thursday – held on Thursday, October 21. Consider joining us in this day of observation and sharing your photos on social media as we collectively bring attention to this worthy cause.

Available Resources

Domestic violence does not end when October does, and neither will efforts to raise awareness about domestic violence and ways to get help. Resources are always available. If you or someone you know needs support because of intimate partner violence or sexual assault, please reach out to Doorways 24-hour hotline at 703-237-0881 and the Arlington County Police Department 703-558-2222 or 9-1-1 in an emergency.

Arlington County’s Project PEACE is a coordinated community response dedicated to advancing the most effective and efficient array of education, prevention, protection, and support services to end domestic and sexual violence in the community. Learn more about Project PEACE at health.arlingtonva.us/project-peace.

This press release was produced by the Arlington County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.