It was a busy and insightful four weeks for participants in Women Aware’s 40-hour Domestic Violence Training. Most of the 30 participants were individuals interested in volunteering on Women Aware’s Domestic Violence Response Teams (DVRTs), while several Middlesex County Family Justice Center partners and Women Aware staff members took the training for professional development. The virtual training concluded with an in-person session at the Middlesex County Police Training Center.

DVRT volunteers will continue training under the direction of Women Aware’s DVRT Administrator within the Legal Advocacy department. Ultimately, volunteer advocates will be on call for affiliated police departments in Dunellen, East Brunswick, Highland Park, Jamesburg, Middlesex, Monroe, Plainsboro, South Brunswick, South River and Spotswood to listen, provide support, and share resources with victims of domestic violence following an incident of abuse.

Presenters included: Women Aware Client Services professionals; the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office (MCPO) Victim Witness Advocacy Unit, MCPO Sexual Assault Response Team/Forensic Nurse Examiner Program, Rutgers School of Social Work, and Central Jersey Legal Services. Presenters covered such topics as Values & Ethics, Overview of Domestic Violence, Confidentiality, Effects of Domestic Violence on Children, Police Response to Domestic Violence, Court Procedures, Domestic Violence and Mental Health, Immigration, Strangulation, Cultural Awareness, Safety Planning, and Intervention Skills.