Attorney General Launches New Vicitim Services Division

Attorney General Greg Zoeller is launching a new division within his office aimed at boosting services for victims of violent and sexual crimes. That effort includes a new statewide advocate network.

Indiana’s hundreds of victim advocates currently operate separately across the state in shelters, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors’ offices and hospitals.  The Attorney General’s new Victim Services and Outreach Division will launch the Victim Advocates’ Network to coordinate information and training.  Zoeller says the network will link up various advocacy efforts.

“Some of the ideas that you see the victim services groups in one county being helpful in another county,” Zoeller said.

Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence Training Coordinator Caryn Burton says the AG’s new network emphasizes that addressing the sexual assault and domestic abuse crisis is a team effort.

“So not only criminal justice advocates and prosecutors’ offices and law enforcement offices, but also our nonprofit advocates,” Burton said.

The new division and advocate network will be created by reorganizing existing resources within the Attorney General’s office