New Domestic Violence Unit Launched To Support Victims In Loudoun

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — A new resource for victims of domestic violence will soon be available in Loudoun County. On Tuesday, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office announced its Victim Advocate Unit.

The program intends to support victims of domestic violence by providing short-term support and resources, even when criminal charges have not been filed.

"Our Victim Advocate Unit will be an immediate resource for domestic violence and other crime victims, who often don’t know where to go for help in highly stressful situations and before long-term assistance can be secured,” Sheriff Mike Chapman said in a news release.

From October 2022 through September 2023, the sheriff's office received more than 1,100 calls related to domestic violence, authorities reported.

The Victim Advocate Unit can help victims find housing, financial support, and assistance with juvenile support services and applications for the Virginia Victims Fund.

"Many of the stressors that contribute to domestic incidents can be addressed through support services available here in Loudoun County,” Chapman said. “Connecting individuals with these services right away will help them in their time of crisis and may prevent more incidents from occurring.”

The Victim Advocate Unit will be staffed with two detectives and a sergeant from the sheriff's office. "Their assignment to the VAU represents a reallocation of the LCSO’s currently budgeted resources, and the team has been working together since the summer to develop this initiative," the sheriff's office said.

Officials noted that the unit is in a pilot program phase, which will last about 18 months. After the pilot program is complete, authorities will consider a more comprehensive program that could be run by civilian staff.

There are a number of resources available to victims of domestic abuse in Virginia. The National Domestic Violence Hotline can be found at 1-800-799-7233. Virginia's family violence hotline can be reached at 1-800-838-8238.