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Coordinated Community Response
Download the 2009 CCR Toolkit - a collection of resources for establishing and/or maintaining a CCR Team. Materials include information on both Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Joint publication of WCADV and WCASA.
Many Wisconsin communities have developed broad systems' advocacy projects that focus on improving institutional practices and policies within their community. These projects emphasize cross-system collaboration and communication as a means to allow for a coordinated community response (CCR) to domestic violence and sexual assault. The CCR philosophy is that the community is responsible to address domestic violence. In Wisconsin, more than sixty counties have formally organized commissions or task forces that meet regularly to coordinate efforts and to address issues unique to each community that may either have a positive or negative impact on a victim's personal safety in her home and community.
Wisconsin's local CCR teams are at various stages of development. While agencies and systems are often aware that they hold differing views about the causes of and solutions to domestic violence, these groups are seldom prepared for the difficulties they encounter as they sit down and begin working together. WCADV is able to help them overcome these difficulties.
There are numerous lessons learned in the development of CCRs in Wisconsin. (1) Strong advocates are a key ingredient. In communities where the local domestic abuse program has not been strong, the CCR has been in danger of becoming a system tool to further victimize both victims and advocates. (2) While this may seem contradictory, sometimes the local battered women's program is not where the staunch advocates reside. (3) Safety alone as a focus can be dangerous. Increasingly, apparent allies have violated the civil liberties of victims in the name of protecting them and their children. It is critical to incorporate a discussion of liberty, as well as safety, as core values in working with CCRs. (4) Everyone needs support. (5) When CCRs can reach a level of trust that supports candid values discussions about roles and limitations of respective participating agencies, amazing things can happen. (6) People want to do the right thing. (7) People do not agree on what the right thing is. (8) Human nature presents us with a chronic danger of advocates selling out and giving up too much in order to get along with their CCR colleagues.
Finally, don't stop with the criminal justice system. Many DV teams begin with the criminal process in their coordination, but that is only one small piece of the community, and the criminal process is not a system that all victims will choose. Teams need to include members from disciplines such as health care, family law, schools and mental health providers to truly have coordinated community response. CCR must go beyond the legal system to truly create a wide network of support for victims, especially regarding communities of color and older battered women.
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