Cincinnati organization announces expansion of DVERT program

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - Women Helping Women announced the expansion of Cincinnati’s domestic violence program Monday morning.

DVERT is a trauma-informed, rapid-response crisis team that helps domestic violence survivors and their children with 24/7 services, such as access to resources and on-scene safety planning.

According to Women Helping Women, DVERT has responded to approximately 5,772 survivors from February 2018 through July 2022.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, safety for domestic violence survivors is needed more now, Women Helping Women spokesperson Nickol Mora said.

“When we paused DVERT during mid-March to end of April when the COVID pandemic first erupted in our region, six women in the city of Cincinnati were killed by domestic violence in the month of April alone,” President and CEO of Women Helping Women Kristin Shrimplin said. “We knew then that the pandemic was going to be explosive in ripple effects for violence against women. We knew we needed DVERT and we needed to grow.”

Blue Ash Police Department, Hamilton County Board of Commissioners, the City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and the Cincinnati Police Department all partnered with Women Helping Women to highlight the impact DVERT has on the community.

“Domestic violence occurs in all corners of society in all corners of society - often it’s hidden, ignored, downplayed or even shamed,” CPD Assistant Chief Michael John said. “The collaborative response model of police and social service provider through the DVERT advocates provides immediate assistance; it promotes better police effectiveness; and it exemplifies an ideal co-response model.”

According to Mora, Chief John played an important role in launching the DVERT pilot.

Since the launch of the program, Hamilton County has invested $1 million in a partnership with Women Helping Women to expand DVERT.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please include the title when you click here to report it.

Copyright 2022 WXIX. All rights reserved.