The Camp Verde Marshal’s Office is proud to announce a new partnership with Verde Valley Sanctuary (VVS) to enhance support services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
“Through partnerships with organizations like Verde Valley Sanctuary, victims in Camp Verde will have access to … emergency shelter, court advocacy, legal assistance, and additional support services,” Marshal Jacobs said. “Together, these partnerships reflect the Camp Verde Marshal’s Office’s commitment to a victim-centered approach focused on safety, healing, and justice.”
In fiscal year 2024-25, VVS provided services to more than 1,500 survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, including nearly 9,500 bed nights provided and almost 1,300 crisis hotline calls answered, a 28% increase from the previous year.
The agreement goes into effect as of June 1 for a duration of 12 months. After 12 months, both parties will reconvene to update and execute another agreement if desired and necessary.
Camp Verde Mayor Marie Moore said the town is “proud” to formalize this partnership between CVMO and VVS.
The services provided by Verde Valley Sanctuary are absolutely vital to our community and to the individuals and families facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives,” Moore said in a statement. “Domestic violence and sexual assault are issues that impact communities of every size, including our own.”
Moore went on to say that the agreement only strengthens the relationship between VVS, CVMO and the Town of Camp Verde, allowing for a more coordinated, “trauma-informed response that better supports survivors” while also providing training for deputies.
"We are incredibly fortunate to have Verde Valley Sanctuary serving the Verde Valley, and we deeply appreciate their compassion, professionalism, and commitment to helping those in need,” Moore said.
In a similar agreement, VVS already provides support to the Cottonwood Police Department when their victim advocate is unavailable. The Sedona Police Department has a victim advocate on staff, and although VVS is available if needed, there is no official agreement in place. CVMO does not currently have a victim advocate on staff.
VVS began more than three decades ago as a grassroots organization of women who were concerned about domestic violence in the community. The original group of volunteers began taking crisis calls in their homes and transporting victims of abuse to the nearest shelters 50-plus miles away in Flagstaff, Prescott, and Phoenix.
Thanks to generous donations from the community, VVS opened the first domestic violence shelter in the Verde Valley region in 1993 with a leased modular home that slept six. Since then, VVS has strategically expanded and now offers comprehensive services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence in both residential and community-based formats.
Their mission, which is to provide safety, services, and comfort to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, serves a 714-square-mile region that encompasses a significant portion of Yavapai County including Cottonwood, Camp Verde, Clarkdale, Cornville, Jerome, Rimrock, Sedona, and Lake Montezuma. Nearly 70% of VVS clients come from the area, with the rest of survivors coming from around the state of Arizona and beyond.