MONMOUTH COUNTY – The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office has launched their new, specialized Domestic Violence Unit.
The unit, headquartered in Freehold Township, will focus on investigations and prosecutions of incidents of intimate partner violence. This refers specifically to abuse or aggression occurring during or after a romantic relationship. This could involve current or former spouses or dating partners.
“It is our firm expectation that this new unit will thoroughly reinvent how such cases are handled in Monmouth County, making all such prosecutions far more efficient and effective,” Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said. “Incidents of domestic violence represent by far the most common type of the several thousand indictable crimes our office prosecutes every year, and each and every case features a wide range of unique challenges facing the dedicated men and women who strive to bring these perpetrators to justice.”
Separate and distinct from the Family and Juvenile Unit, the new unit will feature a staff of six and will be led by veteran Assistant Prosecutor Stephanie Dugan, who will supervise a second Assistant Prosecutor. Additionally, two detectives will be specifically assigned to the unit along with a dedicated support staff.
The team will work with partner agencies including the Monmouth County Abuse Intervention Program, Hazlet-based 180 Turning Lives Around, and the Asbury Park-based Community Affairs and Resource Center as well as the Mercy Center.
“The unit will operate similarly to MCPO’s existing investigative units, providing logistical and on-the-ground support to local agencies on their cases in matters such as taking victim statements and interviewing witnesses,” the prosecutor’s office said.
The goal is to help victims stuck in the cycle of domestic violence free themselves. In some cases, the unit hopes to achieve the ability to prosecute even in the absence of direct trial testimony, allowing victims to avoid the trauma of reliving the crimes.
“The development of this new unit has been a top priority of mine from the day I took office nearly two years ago, and the motivation has been both personal and professional – I myself experienced the damaging effects that domestic violence can have on a family as a child growing up, and throughout two decades of private law practice, I served innumerable clients who had endured those same effects themselves,” Prosecutor Santiago said. “Domestic violence leaves many scars that don’t heal quite right, and many others that never heal at all. I want to create greater opportunities to break the cycle of domestic violence and its impact on families.”
According to statistics from the New Jersey State Police, about 60,000 domestic violence offenses are reported by local police in an average year in New Jersey – a total of 164 daily, or one every 8 and a half minutes.
Many domestic violence offenses are never brought to light.
The most common types of offenses include harassment and assault. In addition, children are present to witness the abuse about a quarter of the time.
Domestic violence affects an estimated 10 million people across the U.S. annually, according to the National Library of Medicine. As many as 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men becoming victims of domestic violence over the course of their lifetimes.
If you or someone you care about is actively experiencing or witnessing an incident of domestic violence, call 911 immediately.
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