LEGAL NEWSLINE

Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird hosted a domestic violence conference to train Iowans on how to prevent domestic violence and support victims. The conference ran October 14–15.

The conference united hundreds of law enforcement, advocates, legal professionals, and survivors to stop domestic violence. Iowans from across the state came together to discuss strategies to end domestic violence and support survivors.

Conference speakers included the following:

• Governor Kim Reynolds
• Attorney General Brenna Bird
• April Hernandez-Castillo: Survivor and Hollywood actress turned domestic violence advocate
• Katrina Brownlee: Survivor, advocate, and retired NYPD Detective
• Brenda Bash-Cooper: Compensation Specialist, Iowa Attorney General’s Office
• Special Deputy Anthony Kava and Sergeant Jim Doty: Investigators featured in the Netflix documentary “Lover, Stalker, Killer”
• Jeannine Ritchie: Dallas County Attorney
• Shannon Bogolin: Assistant Polk County Attorney

“Our conference unites Iowans from across the state behind a shared mission: ending domestic violence and supporting survivors,” said Attorney General Bird. “As a prosecutor, I work closely with victims and have seen, firsthand, how domestic violence tears apart families and scars both survivors and the children who were raised in violent homes. This powerful team we brought together of law enforcement, advocates, prosecutors, and crime victims is joining forces to end domestic violence.”

The Attorney General’s office is taking bold action to support survivors and stop domestic violence, including:

• Building a protective order notification system so that survivors are alerted before the order expires and do not run into their abusers without warning.
• Doubling pay for nurses who help sexual assault victims.
• Secured $5.5 million for serving crime victims in all 99 counties, which includes providing survivors with victim witness coordinators and advocates to support them through the court process.
• Prosecuting domestic violence cases.
• Training prosecutors and law enforcement on domestic violence.
• Providing funds to help survivors get back up on their feet.

Attorney General Bird remains committed to supporting and seeking justice for domestic violence survivors, as well as taking action to prevent domestic violence.

Original source can be found here.