Non profit expands services to families suffering violence [Video]

EMMETT, Idaho — Advocates Against Family Violence, a Caldwell-based nonprofit working to eliminate domestic abuse and sexual assault just expanded services to meet demand in rural areas. 

New full-time employees in Emmett and Middleton will help more people get help faster. Executive director Kim Deugan said the organization partnered with various agencies to pull off the expansion, including the Gem County Prosecutor’s Office, Valor Health and Middleton Police Department. 

She said the idea came about last year. 

“This all started out of the fact that we had already had eight cases that we were working on out in Emmett,” Deugan said, “and then the victim witness coordinator and the prosecuting attorney reaching out and saying, we need to do more. And so, we all pulled together and said, okay, this is what we’re going to do.” 

Traditionally, she said smaller communities have less money coming in to support victims, which means they often have to travel to Boise, …