Legal Advocates for Abused Women – LAAW Programs
LAAW Programs
Law Enforcement Based
- Victim Intervention Project (VIP)
- Domestic Violence Intervention Partnership (DVIP)
- Domestic Violence Response Team (DVRT)
Court Based
- Municipal Court Advocacy Project (MCAP)
- City Order of Protection Assistance Project (COPA)
Crisis Intervention/Legal Program
- Crisis Intervention Line
- Free Legal Representation
The Victim Intervention Project (VIP) is a partnership with the Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART) of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department that responds to specialized domestic violence cases. LAAW Advocates provide victims with immediate one-on-one crisis intervention, safety planning, comprehensive referrals and on-going support.
The Domestic Violence Intervention Partnership (DVIP), LAAW’s second collaboration with the City Police Department provides early intervention to all non-DART cases as part of a larger project under the St. Louis City Family Violence Council.
The Domestic Violence Response Team (DVRT) operates in collaboration with the St. Louis County Police Department. LAAW Advocates work directly with the police department’s Domestic Violence Unit to provide crisis services and on-going support to victims with specialized domestic violence cases.
The Municipal Court Advocacy Project (MCAP) in St. Louis County provides services to victims whose cases are ordinance violations and will be heard at the municipal court level. In 2003 LAAW serves seven municipalities with plans to expand to respond to requests from other municipal courts and police departments.
The City Order of Protection Assistance Projects (COPA) is a partnership with the St. Louis City Family Courts. LAAW Victim Assistants work from offices at the courthouse to provide immediate support, legal information, assistance in completing the petition, and social service and legal referrals to petitioners of Orders of Protection.
The Crisis Intervention Line provides crisis support, legal advocacy and information, safety planning and legal and social service referrals to anyone calling for assistance or information.
The Free Legal Representation Program serves low-income battered women and their children with free legal representation at Order of Protection hearings.
Community Education
LAAW’s staff and volunteers deliver presentations and distribute brochures to attorneys, court personnel, law enforcement officers, police academies, university students, child abuse workers and other professional & community groups about domestic violence, Orders of Protection, the Missouri Adult Abuse Law, and court advocacy.
LAAW Volunteers
LAAW recruits and maintains a large roster of community and student volunteers who donate their time to LAAW’s direct service programs, Public Relations, and Special Events committees. University students fulfill their internship and practicum requirements through LAAW’s many volunteer opportunities. In addition, Volunteer Lawyers for LAAW (VLL) provides a network of over 50 attorneys offering pro bono legal representation for LAAW clients. more information