Denver getting closer to opening a family justice center

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock Monday announced that thanks to a million dollars in donations, the city is one step closer to opening a family justice center.

He explains it will be one building, housing all of the legal and social resources needed by domestic violence victims.

Hancock says this is an issue he takes personally. He says he lost his sister in 2002 to domestic violence.

He says he will never forget the pain of watching her die in his arms.

Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey says his office is a partner in the drive. He says it’s something his office has been working on for years.

Morrissey says, “We have great services for the victims of domestic violence in Denver, but what we’re proposing to do is put them all under one roof.”

He notes that now, victims have to navigate their way through as many as 30 agencies and having everything in one place would be very beneficial.  “Jane”, a domestic violence victim who does not want to be identified, agrees.

She almost died at the hands of the man who abused her. And she says once she got the courage to call police, it was very difficult trying to make her way through the various systems.

She says, “There were times when I just wanted to give up and go crawl in a hole and hide.”

The current donations have made it possible for Denver to purchase a building. Morrissey estimates they still need to raise another eight to ten million dollars to complete the project.  He says there are 65 such centers in the United States.