Lincoln, Neb. – After two alleged abductions in the city within days of each other, the Lincoln Police Department’s Victim Assistance Unit is reminding residents of the resources and legal tools available to victims of domestic violence.
Unit leadership describes recent trends
Beth McQueen, manager of the Victim Assistance Unit, said the department has handled a growing number of serious domestic‑violence cases in recent years, including homicides and other violent incidents. “In the last couple years, we’ve had a lot of particularly domestic‑violence cases that have been fairly significant,” McQueen told reporters. “This is one of the crimes that’s been at the forefront for the past couple of years now.”
Protections and options for victims
The unit provides pamphlets and other informational materials that walk victims through their options. Those options can include a no‑contact order issued after an arrest or a formal protection order filed through the courts. Advocates work individually with each survivor to determine which measures make sense for their situation, including identifying safe housing and developing a personalized safety plan.
McQueen cautioned that while protection orders are valuable tools, they do not guarantee physical safety. “They could ask for a protection order. None of those are automatic physical protections for that person,” she said. “We still have to do some safety planning with them.”
Staffing and community outreach
The Victim Assistance Unit recently returned to its full staffing level of four advocates, allowing the department to expand outreach and support services. McQueen encouraged anyone concerned about their own safety or the safety of someone they know to reach out for help.
Resources listed by the department include the LPD Victim Assistance Unit website, the nonprofit Voices of Hope, Friendship Home, and the Nebraska Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence. Each organization offers counseling, shelter options, legal assistance and other forms of aid for survivors and their families.
Why the information matters now
The recent abduction investigations have heightened public awareness of the risks faced by domestic‑violence victims. By clarifying the steps victims can take and the limits of legal protections, the Lincoln Police Department hopes to empower survivors to seek help early and to involve community partners in keeping families safe.
Residents are urged to contact the Victim Assistance Unit at any time for guidance, safety‑planning assistance, or to obtain the informational pamphlets referenced above.
Original reporting: KLKN-TV – News, Weather and Sports for Lincoln, Nebraska — read the source article.
