600 cases, one court advocate in Burke County's Options

Four dozen domestic violence or sexual assault cases a month, or about 600 a year. Four days a week in court, one day devoted to the load of paperwork and catching up on missed conversations.

That is the reality of what the Option’s court advocate, Jessica Peedin, handles.

Aside from representing victims already in the system, she is on the pursuit of other victims by listening to a police scanner, going through court dockets, and being available for people in need.

In Megan Miller’s case, Miller said she has a difficult time getting Peedin to return her phone calls or emails — Peedin’s workload is overwhelming. If Miller needs her, the best way to get hold of the advocate is to go to court.

Director Kristy Graf of Options, in the role for the last 20 years, spoke to The Paper about the nature of this situation and the court system.

When it comes to domestic violence and sexual assault cases, Graf said that they are among the most unreported crimes. Victims tend to keep silent or blame themselves.

If their case goes before the court, some victims may drop the charge due to the stress or the time it takes for the justice system.

When asked about some of the biggest challenges in the court system, Graf pointed to two big components: child custody and serving papers.

Child custody requires a party to have their own attorney to fight for the rights to their child. In many cases, the victim may have a child with their abuser, adding another layer of complexity to their case.

Serving papers is a huge obstacle as well, which is seen in Megan’s story.

An order cannot go through without the abuser being served, and unfortunately, they can dodge the law. Graf said Burke is a big county, so people will run and not come to court.

Whatever the victims may be facing, fighting in the court system can be tiring. They could be missing work to come to a hearing, or they might have to find child care. At the end, the victim might just drop the case.

“That’s a lot on them,” Graf said. “I don’t blame the victim at that point.”

ABOUT OPTIONS

Options folds a variety of services into their care such as therapy, educational resources for the community, and a crisis hotline, along with being Burke County’s only domestic violence, rape, and sexual assault 24/7 shelter. A victim may stay a day or weeks, but the shelter and its services are free.

To reach others in need, the center shares information on social media, creates informational packets, and attends community events. They also receive referrals from the court system, Department of Social Services, and law enforcement.

Despite outreach efforts, Graf said that they still find people and victims who do not know that Options is a resource available in Burke County.