How the Victim-Witness Assistance Program Turns Hope Into Healing

As communities across the nation observed Domestic Violence Awareness Month and United Against Hate Week in October, the DeKalb County Solicitor-General’s Office continues to demonstrate that supporting survivors requires more than awareness. It requires action, compassion, and a commitment to helping people rebuild their lives.

That commitment was on full display as members of the Office’s Victim-Witness Assistance Program, Investigations Unit, and leadership team loaded vehicles with donated purses and essential items for the 5^th Annual Purses With a Purpose initiative.

The effort, which benefits survivors seeking safety and support through International Women’s House, serves as a powerful reminder that healing often begins with meeting immediate needs while also connecting victims to long-term resources and advocacy.

More Than a Purse

Filled with personal care items, safety planning resources, and information about the Georgia Crime Victims Bill of Rights, each purse is designed to provide comfort, dignity, and empowerment during a difficult transition.

Many of the donated handbags are new or gently used designer and leather purses, carefully selected so survivors know they are valued. For someone leaving an abusive situation, necessities often must be left behind. A purse filled with practical resources may seem like a small gesture, but it can represent something much greater: hope, encouragement, and the reassurance that they are not alone. The initiative intentionally combines practical support with information that helps survivors understand their rights and access available services.

The First Connection to Help

While Purses With a Purpose is an important outreach effort, it also highlights the broader work of the Office’s Victim-Witness Assistance Program. Led by Brenda Puebla, Director of Victim Services, the program serves as a critical bridge between victims of crime and the criminal justice system.

The role of a victim-witness advocate is not simply to explain court proceedings. Advocates serve as a source of support, information, and empowerment throughout a victim’s journey. In many cases, advocates are the first point of contact a victim has with the Solicitor-General’s Office. They assess needs, discuss safety concerns, connect individuals with community resources, and help ensure victims understand their rights throughout the judicial process.

“Our advocates are here to meet survivors where they are,” said Puebla. “Every case is different, and every person’s experience is different. We want to listen, understand their needs, and provide trauma-focused, victim-centered support.”

The program’s team of highly trained advocates works with victims of many types of misdemeanor crimes. Approximately one-third of the office’s caseload involves domestic violence-related cases, making advocacy services an essential part of the support system available to survivors.

A Survivor’s Story

The impact of that support is perhaps best measured by the people who have experienced it firsthand. In a recent video highlighting the program, one victim named Giovanni Brown, shared how advocates helped guide him through an intimidating court process after becoming the victim of criminal activity.

Rather than feeling alone, he described having a trusted point of contact who consistently checked on him, answered questions, and helped him understand what to expect as his case moved forward. Most importantly, he said the experience gave him something he had been missing: Peace.

“It just gave me a sense of peace,” Brown explained. “I felt safer in my home, and I knew I wasn’t in this alone.” His story mirrors what advocates strive to achieve every day: helping victims feel informed, supported, and safer than they were before seeking help.

Success Measured Beyond the Courtroom

For the Victim-Witness Assistance Program, success is not measured solely by courtroom outcomes. Director Brenda Puebla says,

“Success can mean helping someone create a safety plan.”

“Success can mean connecting a family with counseling services.”

“Success can mean helping a survivor secure safer housing”.

“And sometimes, success means simply knowing someone can sleep a little easier at night because they have support.”

The program’s mission extends far beyond the walls of the courthouse. Through outreach, education, advocacy, and partnerships with community organizations, advocates work to ensure victims have the tools and resources needed to move forward long after a court case concludes.

Building Partnerships, Strengthening Communities

That philosophy was reinforced during the team’s visit to the International Women’s House, where staff members toured the facility and learned more about the services available to survivors and families fleeing abusive situations.

The visit also highlighted the importance of collaboration between public agencies and community organizations. By working together, these partners help provide comprehensive support that addresses both immediate safety concerns and long-term recovery.

A Commitment That Continues Year-Round

The Purses With a Purpose initiative reflects the same goals that inspired #NotInMyDeKalb, the domestic violence prevention and awareness campaign launched by Solicitor-General Donna Coleman-Stribling in 2019. The initiative was created to increase public awareness, strengthen community engagement, and encourage conversations about preventing violence before it begins. Those efforts take on added significance during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which shines a spotlight on the impact of abuse and the importance of survivor support, and during United Against Hate Week, which encourages communities to stand together against violence, bias, intimidation, and hate.

For the DeKalb County Solicitor-General’s Office, these observances are not simply moments of recognition. They are opportunities to renew a commitment to advocacy, prevention, and service. Because whether it’s through a safety plan, a compassionate conversation, a court resource, or a purse filled with essentials, every act of support sends the same message: You matter. You are not alone. Help is available.