COVINGTON, Ky. — As the pandemic continues, court advocates have gotten creative in order to show up for victims.
Court advocates usually stand beside domestic-violence and sexual-assault victims in court to provide a buffer between them and a perpetrator.
In Northern Kentucky, cases are being held virtually, and the Women's Crisis Center said this has made it hard for court advocates to be there for victims. Some people don't have Wi-Fi, so they have to park their cars in library parking lots and use the library Wi-Fi to testify, and if a court hearing is in person, some court advocates can't be in the courtroom.
Without court advocates present, some victims might feel unsafe and not pursue charges or protection orders.
Court advocate Rebecca Moore said she and others have been knocking on doors, handing out flyers and showing up at community events so people still know they are offering help.
"My hope for the survivors that I work with is that they just find peace," Moore said. "That they're empowered, that they know that there's people here that support them."
