Tulare County, CA
Domestic violence is one of the most serious public health
and criminal justice issues facing women today. Thousands
of women are injured, even killed, each year by an abusive
spouse because help was not available. Batterers are able
to control their victims with fear and threats, preventing
many from seeking the help they need. Sometimes the first
step in getting help comes in the form of a Temporary Restraining
Order (TRO)-a court order instructing the batterer from coming
into contact with the victim. Many times a TRO takes several
days to process and women fear the repercussions if their
abusive spouse finds out they have applied for a TRO before
the TRO has been issued. Tulare County uses XForms
to speed up the process of obtaining a TRO, to bring women
with relief they need faster and more efficiently. Victims
can obtain a TRO within just hours at a designated shelter,
in a discrete and private location. A court appointed councilor
first evaluates the victim . Upon finding the woman has in
fact been a victim of domestic violence, the councilor will
fill out all the necessary paperwork online. The forms and
data are routed to the court electronically. When the court
has approved the documents, a TRO is issued, which is sent
back to the councilor at the shelter to give to the victim.
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