Friends of the Riverside County Family Justice Center

In Our Communities

Statistics tell us that approx 33 million U.S. adults admit that they have been a victim of domestic violence. 75% of those victims have children under the age of 18 at home who are witnesses to this violence. 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men in the U.S. have experienced sexual assault in their lifetime. Every year more than 3 million reports of child abuse are made in the U.S. involving more than 6 million children. Available data from state Adult Protective Services agencies show an increasing trend in the reporting of elder abuse and research has shown that elders who experienced abuse, even modest abuse, had a 300% higher risk of death when compared to those who had not been abused. Family violence and sexual assault are not a personal matter or a family issue: they are alarming and pervasive problems that impact victims, families, friends, and entire communities.

The Riverside Family Justice Center offers services, support, and hope to victims of family violence and sexual assault. We are asking for your help in order to end this alarming problem in our community. 

This year alone, the Riverside Family Justice Center has
assisted 2,465 victims in meeting their immediate safety needs with services such as Temporary Restraining Order assistance; family law assistance; food, shelter, and clothing assistance; follow up with law enforcement and referral
to medical/counseling services. One on one support and safety planning is offered at every visit to the Family Justice Center, as well as a safe and secure place for children to wait. Our mission at the Family Justice Center is to wrap services around the victim so we can see greater success in protecting families.

Help For Victims

You might be wondering what these wrap around services look like…one victim’s story might help you better understand what we do every day; we'll call this victim Jane. When Jane walked in to the Family Justice Center with her daughter she was not sure what we could do for her, she only knew that Law Enforcement encouraged her to come to us and told her we could help. A Victim Advocate from the Division of Victim Services in the District Attorney’s Office met with her in a private intake interview and was able to develop the beginning of a specialized safety plan. While her daughter played in the children’s playroom, Jane met with an onsite partner from Alternatives to Domestic Violence who provided assistance in completing a request for a Temporary Restraining Order. Meanwhile, the Victim Services Advocate met with another onsite partner, an Officer from the Riverside Police Department, to debrief the victim’s case and to ask for assistance. When Jane had completed her TRO, the RPD Officer was available to meet with her and interviewed her further about her history of abuse with the suspect. The Officer was able to photograph her black eye that was more visible than the day prior when the victim initially called the police, which was helpful to the investigation of the case. Over the next couple of days the RPD Officer continued to work the case and facilitated the suspect’s arrest. In the meantime, the Victim Services Advocate at the Family Justice Center assisted Jane and her daughter in contacting a local domestic violence shelter and was able to bring them there to safety. By the time the criminal case was ready for trial, Jane and her daughter had transitioned to living on their own and had continued to receive services and support from their Victim Services Advocate who facilitated onsite appointments at the Family Justice Center with Inland County Legal Services for assistance with child custody orders as well as the Department of Public Social Services for financial assistance. With their immediate safety in place and their long term plans to thrive taking form, Jane was able to trust the criminal justice system and testify about the abuse she had suffered. Her abuser was convicted and sentenced to prison and Jane and her daughter continue to make progress in their recovery from living in an abusive home by participating in counseling and support groups offered through the Family Justice Center and its partners. 

Be a Part of Our Team!

You can help us bring a sense of hope and safety to victims
who need our support. We invite you to partner with the Riverside Family Justice Center and help break the cycle of abuse by providing valuable resources that can lead victims to safety and security in a violence free life. Please help transform the lives of the victims and families we serve today with a financial donation. $10, $25, $50, $75, $100 or more will help support our commitment to ending family violence.