This news item expired on Tuesday, August 16, 2016 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
The Buncombe County Commissioners along with community partners will officially open the doors on the Family Justice Center (FJC) to the community on August 16th at 3 p.m. with an official ribbon cutting celebration. Members of our community are cordially invited to attend the ribbon cutting, tour the facility, and meet the community partners involved in this collaborative effort.
The FJC will focus attention on crimes that happen behind closed doors: domestic and sexual violence. Violence impacts our educational systems, healthcare, our workplaces, and our criminal justice systems. Victims live in fear, children grow up in fear, and violence continues to spread, becoming, unfortunately, an accepted way of life.
Prior to the Family Justice Center, a survivor of domestic violence had to fill out 61 forms, tell their story 21 different times, and travel to 8 different places at a time when they were most vulnerable and scared.
The commitment that was made to end domestic violence in our community along with the powerful leadership and investment of the County Commissioners, made the Family Justice Center a reality. This FJC brings agencies together in a practical way making the path to safety for victims and families more clear and by providing a resource grid of supports and interventions designed specifically for survivor safety and their resiliency.
The FJC is home to Asheville Police Department’s and Buncombe County Sheriff Office’s domestic and sexual violence units, Helpmate and Our VOICE, our local domestic and sexual violence service providers. Pisgah Legal Services, Buncombe County Health and Human Services, The YWCA, and Mission Hospital also provide services at the FJC. On-site services include legal advice, restraining orders, medical exams, and advocacy. This coordinated approach eliminates duplication, increases prosecution of offenders, reduces fear for victims, and increases survivor safety.
The FJC sends a clear message: domestic and sexual violence will not be tolerated in Buncombe County. We will walk with those impacted by sexual and domestic violence on their path to strength, safety, and hope.
We invite the public to join us on August 16th at 3pm as the Buncombe County Family Justice Center officially opens its doors to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, helping to lay the foundation for a safer and healthier future that we can build together.