HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0605.002 2006-2008 i~e~~ 3~3
Claudia Wilcox-Boucher
1537 Kalote Place
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
September O5, 2007
Aloha and Good Morning,
I am speaking to you in support of the Resolution to Create a Community Violence
Coordinator Position for the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney.
My name is Claudia Wilcox-Boucher and I am a social worker on the Big Island for over
twenty years. I have worked with the Department of Human Services-Child Protective
Services for thirteen years, the YMCA-Waiakea Settlement Visitation Center for eight
years and most recently Interim Director for Turning Point for Families, Inc. I have
taught courses at our community college since 1990 and am presently teaching a Human
Services Practicum 293 course at the HCC.
Having worked in our community in both public and non-profit agencies to assist
children and families who are experiencing the affects of domestic violence whether it be
children who witness domestic violence in their homes, women and mothers trying to
find safety, shelter and or supportive services for themselves and their children and men
who need to change the destructive patterns of abuse that is destroying their relationships
and hurting their families, the resolution to create a community violence coordinator is a
constructive and positive step towards finding solutions to this social problem.
There are governmental social service agencies and non-profit agencies in our
community that are servicing this population but they could use a boost to focus and
strategize efforts. The creation of the coordinators position at the prosecutor's office
would be a needed and necessary key to assist in earmarking and following targeted cases
to ensure that all the parties and systems involved are providing the best service possible.
Our Hawaii County's response to domestic violence must be a united effort bringing
together the community and service providers to work towards domestic violence
prevention and intervention, affect public policy and establish coordinated and consistent
procedures and actions by the civil and criminal justice systems and the public. People
on the Big Island are willing to come together to problem solve-it is the only way we are
able to survive-to get things done. What is being requested is the funds to identify a point
position to activate, coordinate and strategize our efforts. There is a successful systems
model in place in servicing children that are victims of sex abuse.
Please support this resolution and lets claim domestic violence as a community problem,
this affects all of us and only together will we be able to make a~iffere~ce. 6 05.2
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