By Glennda Wilke
Victim Services Coordinator in Kendall County
This is one story I’ll never forget. She was 62 years old when she came to my office in tears. She was afraid her husband would find her, so she waited until he fell asleep so she could leave the house without him knowing. (He worked nights and slept during the day.) Her husband had abused her since their relationship began about a year and a half before. She told me she needed a safe place to go.
I asked what her husband would do if he found out that she was planning to leave. She said he would beat her and never let her leave the house without him. She was not at my office very long because she had to get home before he woke up. We made a plan for her to return the next day with her bags packed, and we would find shelter for her.
When she got to my office, she was very nervous and scared. We called the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office and made a report. She had a car but no gas, so we called Hill Country Family Services. Folks there were very generous to give her a $50 HEB gas card to fill up. We called several shelters in the surrounding area, but they were all full. After reaching out to The Grace Center Women’s Shelter in Fredericksburg, they offered her a room. She left for the shelter and let me know that she made it there safely. She called me later that day and thanked me for helping her.
This is just one example of how community collaboration can make all the difference for crime victims. In Kendall County, we have strong partnerships between law enforcement, advocacy groups, and nonprofit agencies. Together, we help survivors of domestic violence find safety, regain control, and begin to heal.
The impact of domestic violence
Domestic violence continues to be a critical public safety challenge in Texas and across the nation. Its impact is deep and widespread, cutting across all demographics. While prosecutors and law enforcement are essential to addressing these crimes, they cannot confront the full complexity of domestic violence alone. Real, sustainable progress depends on collaborative partner- ship—cooperation among public agencies, nonprofits, the healthcare sector, educational institutions, faith-based groups, and the wider community. A coordinated response ensures victims receive not only justice but also the support services necessary to recover and rebuild their lives.
Domestic violence includes physical violence, coercion, stalking, emotional abuse, and financial control. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that approximately one in four women and one in 10 men in the United States experience intimate partner violence in their lifetimes.[1] This is not merely an individual matter but a community concern. These statistics highlight the importance of supporting survivors at every stage, from initial disclosure and filling protective orders, to courtroom testimony and long- term safety planning.
Kendall County has always had a large collaborative support system dedicated to helping survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Through partnering with law enforcement, healthcare providers, and non-profit providers, our community continues to support those in need. We do so with training and monthly or bimonthly meetings between agencies. It is rewarding knowing that our collaborations are so effective and meaningful.
Key partners
1) Law enforcement. Police officers are often first responders in domestic violence situations. Prosecutors benefit from partnerships with officers trained in trauma-informed response, evidence collection, and lethality assessment protocols. High-risk teams that include detectives, victim advocates, and prosecutors can preemptively intervene in potentially lethal cases.
2) Healthcare providers. Hospitals and clinics are critical in the response for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors. Medical professionals trained to recognize and respond to signs of abuse can refer victims for both counseling and legal assistance. Healthcare records, injury documentation, and expert witness testimony often play a pivotal role in prosecution. Plus, healthcare providers are critical in helping survivors feel supported by offering compassionate care and not judging the survivor’s life choices. Victims can start to feel a sense of control over their lives that was taken away.
3) Schools and educators. Teachers and school counselors are in a unique position to detect signs of abuse in children and families. Collaborating with school districts and resource officers can help promote early intervention programs, raise awareness of reporting procedures, and educate students about healthy relationships. School personnel play an essential role in safety planning for children living in abusive homes, for example, by making sure the schools get copies of protective orders and that staff are aware of custody orders or no-contact orders in place. Communication between parents, school personnel, and law enforcement can ensure that everyone is prepared to respond if an abuser attempts to approach a child on campus.
4) Faith-based and cultural organizations. Faith leaders often serve as trusted advisors. Building relationships with local churches, mosques, temples, and cultural centers can expand outreach and help reduce stigma, particularly in underserved or immigrant communities. Absolutely, there is a need for training. Aside from going from church to church and agency to agency individually, I send out emails introducing myself and our office, inviting staff to attend community events, such as Domestic Violence Awareness Month activities. We also offer flyers about victim services and what they can do to help victims of violence.
5) Nonprofits and advocacy groups. Shelters and advocacy organizations provide services vital to victim safety and recovery. These partners offer emergency housing, counseling, job training, case management, and legal help. Joint training and data sharing (with appropriate privacy safeguards) enhance both service delivery and prosecutorial effectiveness.
6) Employers and business leaders. Local businesses can implement workplace protections, such as safe leave policies and emergency planning for employees experiencing domestic violence. They can also provide funding or in-kind support to shelters and prevention programs.
7) Therapy dogs as trauma support. Some communities are incorporating therapy dogs into survivor services, offering comfort during forensic interviews, court appearances, and counseling sessions. Their calming presence can ease anxiety, especially for children, and help victims feel safe enough to speak. This simple yet powerful support reflects how creative partnerships can make justice and healing more accessible.
8) Mental health providers. In Kendall County, partnering with mental health providers means maintaining an active list of trusted counselors and therapists for referrals, including those who speak Spanish. Advocates can help survivors with access to services by coordinating appointments, referring them to local agencies, and connecting them to support groups or low-cost services through local agencies.
Effective collaboration
Regular interagency training. When agencies engage in cross-training, they build shared understanding and improve the consistency of their collective response. For example, our office hosted a training on protective orders that was available to law enforcement, prosecutor offices, advocacy centers, justices of the peace, and anyone else with access to victims. It was a very successful training.
Information sharing protocols. Memoranda of understanding (MOUs) can outline procedures for sharing non-confidential data while protecting victim privacy. They spell out what information can be shared between agencies, preventing confusion and making sure all partners are on the same page.
High-risk teams. Multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) should review and respond to cases involving repeat offenders, strangulation, stalking, or firearms. Our MDT consists of prosecutors from the DA’s office, the Children’s Advocacy Center, Hill Country Family Services, and the local mental health and developmental disabilities (MHDD) organization.
Survivor inclusion. Survivors’ voices should be central to policy development and service design. Such collaboration isn’t just more compassionate—it’s also more effective. One survivor suggested creating discreet resource cards that are small enough to fit in a pocket or hidden inside a wallet, because large pamphlets could be seen by abusers. That suggestion led to the development of a compact, bilingual tent card we now distribute to schools, agencies, libraries, and law enforcement offices within Kendall County.
Conclusion
Domestic violence is not just a legal issue—it is a community issue. Prosecutors can and should lead the charge. Sustained change requires broad, coordinated support. By engaging schools, hospitals, nonprofits, faith communities, and businesses, prosecutor offices across Texas can help build a future where every person is safe from violence and supported in recovery.
Community collaboration is not a luxury—it is a necessity. Each agency contributes unique strengths, but it is often the prosecutor who stands at the intersection of legal strategy and victim advocacy. By championing a multidisciplinary, survivor-centered approach, prosecutors not only enhance public safety but also help rebuild lives. Together, we can break the cycle of abuse—and forge a justice system rooted in dignity, safety, and hope.
Local agencies and what they offer
Hill Country Crisis Council
• 24–7 hotline and support for family violence and sexual assault survivors
• emergency shelter, legal advocacy and accompaniment, safety planning, and counseling
Kendall County Women’s Shelter
• emergency shelter for family violence survivors, their children, and pets
• 24–7 hotline, counseling, support groups, resources, and referrals
Hill Country Family Services
• food and financial assistance
• clothing and essential items
• counseling
• mental health services
• life skills training (such as financial and budgeting)
Mission for Health offers medical and wellness services, from basic care to medication support.
Transformation House
• transitional housing
• trauma-informed therapy
• referrals
• life skills training (such as financial and budgeting)
Hill Country Daily Bread
• mentoring services
• essential physical resources, such as food, clothing, personal hygiene items, household necessities, and diapers
[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Intimate Partner Violence. 2021. www.cdc.gov/ violenceprevention/intimatepartnerviolence/index.html.