When victims of domestic violence talk, Megan Sweeney listens.
She is now available to those in need and has a strong hand in stopping abusers in Lynnwood and Edmonds as the new domestic violence coordinator for the two cities.
Sweeney’s job is to be a liaison between the victim, the police, and the prosecutor’s office.
“I’m real impressed with her ideas to expand the program to include an advocate – she’s just really sharp,” said Lynnwood Municipal Court administrator Jill O’Cain.
The position was left vacant for about a year, O’Cain said, which made it harder for victims who needed help and information.
“It’s nice to have someone there for people who are victims,” O’Cain said. “It’s important to have someone available when (victims) ask for it, otherwise they might give up on trying to get help.”
While the position was vacant, the court referred victims to the Center For Battered Women. While this is a good place for victims to get help, O’Cain said it wasn’t always easily available to them.
Now Sweeney’s in the courtroom and it’s beneficial, she said, to have someone to assist the victim in court.
“It makes us more efficient and effective,” O’Cain said.
While mostly stationed in Lynnwood, Sweeney has duties in Edmonds as well.
Joan Ferebee, Edmonds court administrator, said the Edmonds domestic violence coordinator position has been vacant for about two years because the city lost its grant funding. With new grant funding the city was able to add Sweeney to their staff.
Ferebee also said it is a challenge, especially for the victims, not having a person to be a liaison with domestic violence victims.
“The victims need someone to help them through the process someone to be a confidant for them – a sounding board,” Ferebee said.
Ferebee added, Sweeney is very professional and seems genuinely interested in the victims.
“You have to be dedicated to work like that and she seems to be very dedicated,” she said.
Sweeney has five years experience as a victim’s advocate and has worked as a counselor for the mentally ill and as an emergency 911 dispatcher.
Currently, Sweeney said she acts as both the domestic violence coordinator and the advocate. One of her goals is to eventually find grant funding to give the two cities a separate advocate.
In general, the difference between the advocate and coordinator are: the coordinator acts as a liaison with the victim, law enforcement and the prosecution. The advocate refers victims to services they need within the community, and who can be called on to get the victim immediate help, she said. Those duties can include a safety plan and assisting with protection orders against an abuser.
Along with her roles as both coordinator and advocate, Sweeney also provides refresher training to police officers in domestic violence related issues.
In the future Sweeney would like to bring back the “No Punching Judy” program which goes into third grade classrooms in both cities and discusses how to stop the “cycle’ of domestic violence, she said. She would also like to start an outreach program with Lynnwood and Edmonds middle and high school students about the crime. Mountlake Terrace High School already does this through Mountlake Terrace’s police department’s extensive domestic violence program.
Sweeney said if there is anyone who would like more information about domestic violence or how to find out if they might be in an abusive situation they should call her to get some information or to just talk.
For both Lynnwood and Edmonds residents in need, Megan Sweeney can be contacted at 425-744-6922.
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