From the statehouse to your neighbor's house, New Jersey is taking a stand against domestic violence.  But what can the average citizen really do to help?

WomaninFearofDomesticAbuseCreditiStock180135142
Photo Credit: iStock
loading...

Senior Assistant Prosecutor Terry Cunningham with the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office says the best place to start is with a call to your local domestic violence shelter.

"There's always positions in those kinds of agencies where you can, you know, help out,"  Cunningham said.  "Donate, do things like that."

Whether you donate your money or your time, Cunningham says every little bit helps.  But if you can make an even bigger commitment, you might apply to join a Domestic Violence Response Team (DVRT).

"<The training is> pursuant to statute," Cunningham said.  "And you have on call hours as well, where you may get a call in the middle of the night to come out to a police station to speak to a victim of domestic violence."

DVRT members refer victims to counseling and other services, and they're mandated to attend a certain amount of training.  They're also subject to background checks and fingerprinting.

Overall, though, Cunningham says the old adage is still true:  "if you see something, say something.

"Anytime you think that a crime or any type of offense has been committed against somebody,the best thing to do is to report it to your local police department."

More From 92.7 WOBM