SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. — Since stay at home orders went into effect advocates for victims of assault in Summit County reported increases in the number of domestic violence calls.
Summit Advocates for Victims of Assault started a new program to help people who might be in situations where they're unable to ask for help.
Cierra Sande is the outreach and education coordinator for the organization. She said they started a mask19 code word program to help people stuck indoors during the stay-at-home orders and are in domestic violence relationships.
“A lot of time in domestic violence situations an abuser will isolate a victim anyways,” said Sande. “During this time, the isolation, it is amplified."
Employees at several pharmacies and health clinics in Summit County have been trained that when they hear the code word, mask19, they can offer help.
There’s also a coded email address, summitmask19@gmail.com. If people write to that address they can get help as well.
“The code word is mask19 so if someone uses the codeword at a pharmacy, they will know what that means and know how to respond to that," said Sande.
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