August 2, 2024 • From August Newsletter — At Womanspace, we believe that strong partnerships are critical to creating safe communities. Our working relationships with police departments in Mercer County’s municipalities and the New Jersey State Police ensure a coordinated community response. This coordinated response between police and Womanspace ensures the delivery of comprehensive support and resources to victims at police stations and hospitals during a crisis. By fostering open communication and providing training, we ensure that officers are well-prepared to handle these situations with sensitivity and expertise. Together, we strive towards a future where everyone feels safe and supported.
Annual Training with Law Enforcement
A key component of the partnership between Womanspace and the police is the annual training of a new class of recruits to the NJ State Police Academy. On June 27, Varonda Kendrick, our Response Team Coordinator and Domestic Violence Victims Representative, attended training for 24 recruits. At the invitation of Detective Jenn Gering, Princeton Police Department’s Domestic Violence Liaison, Varonda outlined the services Womanspace provides to assist victims in finding safety and healing. Varonda’s experience and insight also equip officers with a deeper understanding of domestic and sexual violence issues, helping them respond more effectively and empathetically to victims.
Data shows that, on average, it can take 7 to 8 times before a victim leaves their abuser. Police who have received training on the unique characteristics of domestic and sexual violence, working in partnership with highly trained and compassionate Womanspace Response Team Advocates, can reduce the number of times a victim returns to an abusive situation.
Training provided to police ensures that they are trained and compassionate advocates who can reduce that number at that moment. By joining forces and working together, the potential for significantly impacting victim-survivors experience in our community is increased exponentially. Varonda shares, “Our relationship with Law Enforcement is key to the success of the Response Teams of Mercer County. We need their partnership and support to meet our goals of serving survivors, utilizing our volunteers, and doing our work excellently. It takes a village, and we are proud to have Law Enforcement as a part of ours!”
Join Us at National Night Out
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer and more caring places to live. It aims to enhance the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement, contributing to an increased sense of community and connection.
Womanspace will have staff present in all municipalities across Mercer County. We invite you to come and meet our team at the following locations:
• East Windsor: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., East Windsor P.A.L Facility, 30 Airport Road, East Windsor, NJ
• Ewing: 5:30 to 8:00 p.m., Ewing Township Community Center, 999 Lower Ferry Road, Ewing, N
• Hamilton: 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Veterans Park South Entrance, 2262 Kuser Road, Hamilton, NJ
• Hightstown: 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Association Park, Grant Avenue, Hightstown, NJ
• Hopewell Township & Pennington Borough: 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Stony Brook Elementary School, 20 Stephenson Rd, Pennington, NJ
• Lawrence: 5:30 to 8:00 p.m., Municipal Building, 2207 Lawrence Road, Lawrence Township, NJ
• Princeton, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., 400 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, NJ
• Robbinsville: 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., Robbinsville Township Police Department, 1117 Rt 130, Robbinsville, NJ
• Trenton: 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m, Cadwalader Park, 36 Parkside, Trenton, NJ
• West Windsor: 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., West Windsor Community Park, 271 Clarksville Rd, West Windsor, NJ
National Night Out allows us to connect with community members, raise awareness about our services, and strengthen our partnerships with local police departments. By working together, we can continue to make a difference in the lives of those affected by domestic and sexual violence.
Through our collaborative efforts, our goal is to create a safer environment for all community members. Whether through joint training sessions, community events like National Night Out, or day-to-day interactions, our partnership with law enforcement is a cornerstone of our work. We look forward to continuing our work with law enforcement and engaging with our community to fulfill Womanspace’s mission to prevent abuse, protect families, and change lives through empowerment and a safety net of supportive services.
