In the wake of a tragic accident or horrific crime, victims left shaken and scarred need someone to turn to. For St. Johns County residents, that resource is Colette Domingue. She is there to offer comfort, support, and guidance on how to recover and move forward after such a traumatic event.
As a member of a two-person team of Victim Advocates employed by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Department, Colette’s mission is to assist victims with moving forward. Whether help is needed with crime scene cleanup, grief counseling, or just a shoulder to cry on, she is there armed with resources, information, and comfort. “99% of what I deal with is tragic, heartbreaking, and horrific, but that’s the job,” says Colette. “If you can make a difference and help someone get through a horrible time, then it’s worth it.”
Her job begins once the deputies arrive, assess the situation, and determine that a VA is needed. She has reported directly to the scene, to hospitals, and even transported family members to a hospital.
She recalls one incident when deputies had to take a victim’s clothing as evidence following a violent crime. She purchased clothes for the victim because they weren’t able to return to their home as it was still being investigated as a crime scene. “It doesn’t have to be just crime,” says Colette. “A lot of my callouts have to do with suicide, unfortunately. Most times, if there are no other family members to be of comfort and support for that victim and the person is falling apart and in a very emotional state, the deputies will call in a Victim Advocate.”
The duration of her involvement also depends on the circumstances but typically ranges from several hours to a few days. “I remember being called out to a home invasion where the husband had been airlifted to Orange Park Medical Center. I picked up the wife and brought her to the hospital,” said Colette. That day she did not return home until 4am, but still went back to the hospital the next day, and stayed with the family for three days until the husband was finally discharged.
Colette became a VA last year after serving as a volunteer with SJCSO since 2010. Volunteering was a way to fill her time after her daughter went away to college but when she heard that two long-serving VAs were moving on, she knew she could do something more for the community and has seen first-hand the lasting impact victim advocacy can have.
A family friend shared with her their tragic history of sexual abuse they endured as a child. Her VA helped her through the process of testifying and bring charges against her attacker. “Without the support and compassion of her advocate and the detectives, she wouldn’t have gotten through it,” says Colette. “To this day, they still keep in touch.”
Like her friend’s VA, Colette also keeps in contact with many of the victims she has helped and cherishes the special bond they build. “I just really feel like I’ve made a connection and I’ve made a difference,” she says. “I was there when they were in dire need of comfort and support and I was the person to give it to them. It was much appreciated and much needed.”
Learn more about the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office at www.sjso.org. Photography by David Steele
