Legal Advocacy– Our Legal Advocacy Team provides survivors with essential services and resources within the criminal and civil justice systems. Our team’s primary focus is assisting with emergency orders of protection and no-contact orders, while also offering ongoing court support throughout the duration of a case.
In 2025, our Legal Advocates expanded their expertise in family and divorce proceedings to deliver even stronger advocacy. They now guide clients through the petition process for these cases, provide continued court accompaniment, and assist with child support applications.
The Legal Advocacy Team also delivered numerous Roll Call trainings to law enforcement agencies across the county. While topics varied, the primary emphasis in 2025 was the Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) and strangulation awareness. Safe Passage trained officers from 3 police departments on LAP, with several others participating in trainings and beginning to implement the program as early as July 2025.
What is the LAP?
The LAP is an evidence-based, 11-question assessment tool used by trained officers during domestic violence calls. It helps identify the potential lethality of a survivor’s situation—providing insight into the risk of serious harm or homicide. While this information can be difficult to hear, it can also be life-saving. When a high-risk situation is identified, officers connect the survivor directly with Safe Passage advocates in real time to address immediate needs, begin safety planning, and access support services.
To better understand the impact of this work, we are sharing highlights from our 2025 Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) report. The data included illustrates how LAP is being implemented by local law enforcement and how it strengthens early intervention and survivor safety.
We’re proud of our Legal Advocacy Team’s dedication to empowering survivors and building safer communities through education, collaboration, and compassionate support. Thank you for standing with us!
For 24/7 support, contact our hotline: 815-756-5228.
