VIP Principals of Intervention

• Violence is a criminal act; the abuser is always responsible
• Support the victim without blaming
• Focus on the abuser’s behavior
• Work with the victim and respect her decisions
• Recognize the abuser’s power over the victim
• Recognize that trying to fix the relationship can be dangerous; the goal is to stop the violence          
• Identify and use community support systems and resources 
• Refer victims to specialized community services for help
• Create a safety plan with the victim
• These principles guide our coordinated community response. They are based on the principles originally created by the Battered Women's Justice Project, with input from Family Crisis Services Outreach staff.