WPS Says Protective Orders Still Effective
By: Danielle Todesco
Updated: April 20, 2009
After a woman survives a brutal beating from her ex-boyfriend, WPS is hoping this will be the push to get other women to leave an abusive situation.
Wednesday, we spoke to Marcy Pacheco after being released from the hospital. She says 25-year-old Ricky Hampton broke into her trailer and beat her throughout the night. She managed to escape Wednesday morning and Hampton was arrested for aggravated assault and violation of a protective order.
Roy Rios with Women's Protective Services says while this is a bad situation, restraining orders are still one of the best ways to protect yourself.
"Situations like this can happen, but it's still important to follow the proper protocol of getting these documents and just relying on your police department to keep us safe and contacting them in the case of emergency. There were extenuating circumstances in this situation that caused her to be in harm's way, but these types of documents still protect the majority of the population."
Women's Protective Services offers a lot of support to victims. They provide clothing, food, shelter and legal advice, all free of charge. If you'd like to contact WPS, you can call them 24 hours a day at 747-6491.
