The Bucks County Commissioners officially proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month last week as the county grapples with high numbers of domestic violence cases and implements new programs to aid victims.
The proclamation comes as the county is poised to see the highest number of protection from abuse, or PFA, applications on record.
Prothonotary Coleen Christian, a Republican, reported the escalating numbers during the meeting.
“Last year, we did have a record year at 1,129 applications,” Christian said. “This year, we are on track for 1,161 applications, with September being an extremely high month at 121 applications alone.”
Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia, a Democrat, read the proclamation, which cited the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s finding that nearly one in three women and one in four men in the U.S. experience domestic abuse. The abuse can encompass physical and sexual violence, as well as economic, psychological, or technological issues or threats in an intimate relationship.
Christian, whose office processes PFA applications, described the severity of the crisis in Bucks County and called the weekly PFA court sessions saddening.
“If you ever have a chance to go to PFA court, which happens every Wednesday, you will have your heart broken a little bit by what some of the folks in Bucks County are doing to each other,” Christian said. “This is violence against women, children, our elderly.”
To address the growing need, the prothonotary’s office has rolled out several new initiatives aimed at better serving victims.
The office launched an online PFA application that allows residents to complete the necessary paperwork privately using a desktop computer, tablet, or cell phone for greater access. Additionally, according to Christian, a new Protection from Abuse Administrator position was created to work alongside office deputies to provide support during PFA court proceedings.
A revitalized partnership with the nonprofit A Woman’s Place now ensures that volunteers from the organization are outside the prothonotary’s office almost daily to assist victims, Christian said.
Recently, the office introduced “hope cards,” which are business card-sized versions of a protection order. The cards contain all necessary information for law enforcement to provide assistance if an abuser violates the order. “For instance, if your abuser shows up at the soccer game, you can contact law enforcement, and you have all your information right on a very small business card that can effectively get you help,” Christian explained.
As a way to help the public, the office acquired handheld translators to help non-English speakers, ensuring that language barriers don’t prevent victims from accessing protection, Christian said.
A team of therapy dogs and their owners volunteer weekly at PFA court to offer comfort to those in need. Five of the dogs—Maggie, Teagan, Edison (Eddie), Jax, and Nellie—and their handlers attended last week’s commissioners meeting.
The dogs are called “Prothy Pound”, and are part of a program that started two years ago.
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Christian noted the visible impact of the dogs on victims.
“When you see someone broken and in a shell and then they stop to pet one of the therapy dogs, you can see the comfort on people’s face,” she said.
“Our therapy dogs bring comfort, and often a smile, to the victims of domestic violence,” Christian said. “I had an owner tell me just last week how rewarding it is to see a victim break out of their shell and pet their dog. Often, our volunteers will stay with a victim as long as the individual needs.”
Christian said that while her office processes paperwork, it is “really about the people, whether it’s a physical piece of paper or an electronic filing,” with PFA orders being “the most important paper that we handle.”
Ellis-Marseglia stressed the importance of unity in addressing domestic violence.
The commissioners encouraged all citizens to work toward ending domestic violence by assisting survivors.
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