Speakers include Survivors, Advocates, District Judges, District Attorneys, Elected Officials, Legal, Law Enforcement, Medical, Mental Health, and Social Services Leaders
Guilford County, NC – When violence erupts at home, survivors need a place where they are protected, supported, and connected to a collaborative system of care that holds abusers accountable and addresses all the needs of the survivor, and often their children. On September 13 and 14, Guilford County and Safe Alliance of Mecklenburg County will host more than 300 people working to build or provide collaborative support for survivors of interpersonal abuse at the Fourth Annual North CarolinaFamily Justice Center & Collaborative Communities Conference in Greensboro. The annual gathering brings together advocates, survivors, community leaders, prosecutors, law enforcement, civil attorneys, and individuals interested in improving the lives of survivors of interpersonal violence.
“We are excited to host the North Carolina Family Justice Center & Collaborative Communities Conference in Guilford County and share the work happening across multiple sectors to provide safe, supporting centers for survivors of domestic and sexual abuse,” said Guilford County Family Justice Center Director Catherine Johnson. “A lot has changed since Guilford County hosted the first statewide Family Justice Center Conference in 2017. Today, 11 Family Justice Centers in North Carolina support thousands of people impacted by domestic and sexual violence, with more centers on the way. Together, we work to hold offenders accountable and to give survivors and their families tools to feel safe, embrace hope, and transform their lives.”
This year’s annual conference includes an address by North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein about improving North Carolina’s Criminal Justice System, as well as presentations and panel discussions with survivors, judges, district attorneys, legal, medical, law enforcement, mental health, and social services experts. Topics include: the FJC Model in North Carolina, cold case sexual assault investigations, criminal justice reform and racial equity, civil court remedies for victims, legal ethics of working in a collaborative model, the role of law enforcement in an FJC, the role of survivor-led advocacy, and more. See attached agenda for a full list of speakers, topics, and times.
