Office on Violence Against Women Director Rosie Hidalgo Visits Oklahoma City and Palomar Family Justice Center to Discuss Local Strategies and Partnerships to Combat Domestic Violence

OKLAHOMA CITY – Last Friday, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma and Palomar, Oklahoma City’s Family Justice Center, welcomed newly appointed Director of the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Rosie Hidalgo, to discuss the local strategy, partnerships, and ongoing efforts to combat domestic violence in the district.

On July 11, 2023, Director Hidalgo was confirmed in a bipartisan vote by the Senate, making her the first Senate-confirmed director to lead OVW since 2012. (See DOJ Press Release).  Hidalgo’s visit to Oklahoma last week included her first site visit in her new role as Director of OVW, including to Palomar. Accompanying her on the visit from OVW were Principal Deputy Director Allison Randall, Chief of Staff Shilesha Bamberg, and Executive Assistant Erica Lee.  

“In my recent visit to the Western District of Oklahoma U.S. Attorney’s Office and Palomar: Oklahoma City’s Family Justice Center, I was deeply moved by the stories I heard and the solutions being implemented to address domestic violence,” said Director Rosemarie Hidalgo. “The frontline workers, law enforcement officials, advocates, and community leaders are weaving a tight-knit safety net for survivors, illustrating the power and importance of a coordinated community response. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to U.S. Attorney Robert Troester for his work through Project Safe Neighborhoods in fostering these partnerships to support survivors, reduce domestic violence, and hold offenders accountable. Also, I am glad to see a robust response through the District’s Operation 922 program to address the increased risks of homicide at the intersection of domestic violence and firearms. The Office on Violence Against Women recognizes the value of such collective action, and we are eager to continue supporting these initiatives alongside the U.S. Attorney's Office and community partners.”

“It is an honor to host Director Hidalgo for one of her first site visits as she leads the Department of Justice’s efforts to reduce gender-based violence, support survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “We were delighted to share what is happening here through our local violent crime strategy, Operation 922, and through our many partnerships with police officers, local prosecutors, and non-profit entities working each day to combat the epidemic of domestic violence in Oklahoma.  We are confident that through these strategic partnerships, and with the support of the Office on Violence Against Women, we are saving lives." 

“Director Hidalgo’s site visit to Palomar illuminates the significance of having coordinated, collaborative services through the Family Justice Center model which provide avenues to simultaneously allow survivors and families to thrive and for partner agencies to focus on offender accountability,” said Palomar Board Chair Tricia Everest. “Palomar, and this coordinated family justice center model, provides more opportunities to break the cycles of violence and move us closer to a community where safety and security are felt by all.”

Topics of discussion included Operation 922, the Western District of Oklahoma’s targeted initiative which prioritizes the prosecution of federal gun crimes connected to domestic violence. Operation 922 is the local implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Since its launch in March of 2018, Operation 922 has led to the charging of nearly 300 defendants for firearms violations in domestic violence-derived cases.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office also introduced a new initiative, Project RAISE UP (Resources and Aid Initiative for Survivors by Effectively Utilizing Partnerships). Project RAISE UP aims to minimize the revictimization of survivors and foster continuity in recovery by connecting survivors with resources and aid to support their unique needs in advance of a defendant’s release from federal prison.

Palomar provided a briefing on how the community came together to launch Palomar six years ago and how the collaborative has grown from 15 original partners to over 40 that are now working together to provide wraparound services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, and child and elder abuse. A panel of Palomar partners shared the ways that coordinating services leads to better outcomes for survivors. Additionally, Palomar shared the plans for the new Family Justice Center building to be built as part of MAPS 4.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office was proud to partner with Palomar Board Chair Tricia Everest in coordinating the event. In April 2021, Attorney General Merrick Garland honored Everest with the “Volunteer of the Year Award” for her advocacy on behalf of victims in crime and for her work founding Palomar. (See DOJ Press Release).

Partners participating in the briefing included the United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Oklahoma City Police Department, Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office, YWCA, and Oklahoma County District Court.