February 2026 Newsletter

A survivor of abuse navigating the courthouse and attempting to understand the unfamiliar process of completing and submitting a domestic violence protective order may become overwhelmed and stressed to the point of giving up.

Just like any unfamiliar place, the Wake County Courthouse can feel intimidating and confusing, filled with complex terminology, rigid procedures, and unfamiliar expectations that are difficult to manage while already coping with trauma.

Survivors may feel anxious or fearful about encountering the abuser, not being believed, or facing retaliation, and the requirement to recount painful experiences in detail can open emotional wounds. The process can also trigger feelings of powerlessness, vulnerability, shame, or self-doubt, particularly when survivors question whether their experiences are "serious enough" to warrant protection.

Long wait times and bureaucratic hurdles can add to emotional and physical exhaustion.  At the same time, there may be a cautious sense of hope that the protective order could provide safety and relief, even as uncertainty remains about the outcome.

Enter InterAct's Court Services team, including the Court Services Coordinator, Civil and Criminal Court Advocates, and Legal Support Center Advocate, led by the Associate Director for Court Services and supported by volunteer Court Navigators.

The Legal Support Center Advocate (LSCA) can play a critical role in supporting a survivor through the courthouse and answering all questions related to the completion of the 50B/50C order.  The LSCA can help the survivor understand each step of the process, explain legal terminology as it relates to the 50B/50C, reducing confusion and stress.

The Civil or Criminal Court Advocate may serve as a liaison with a member of the Wake County Domestic Violence Unit (Clerk or Wake County Deputy Sheriff).

Once the survivor completes the desired protective or no-contact order, the LSC advocate can notify the Civil/Criminal Court Advocate, and a ‘warm hand-off’ of the survivor can be completed, if additional emotional support is needed.The Civil Court advocate can provide brief temporary emotional support by validating the survivor’s experiences and helping manage feelings of fear, shame, or anxiety. 

Additionally, the Civil Court Advocate can connect survivors with InterAct by providing the 24/7 crisis line number to speak with a Crisis Counselor or the Crisis Line Coordinator if immediate attention is needed, such as food, clothing, or shelter.

Once the survivor has connected with a Crisis Counselor who can provide additional emotional support and empowerment, a Court Navigator may be requested. The Court Navigator can accompany survivors to civil and criminal domestic violence courts, helping them feal safer and less isolated.

Court Navigator is a volunteer position overseen by the Court Services Coordinator (CSC). The CSC serves as the trainer for all of the positions mentioned above and is responsible for knowing each position and filling in when required.  In addition, the CSC serves as the primary liaison between community partners, especially when a survivor is involved.

Domestic Violence Protective Order (50B): Often referred to as a restraining order, DVPO 50B is specifically for victims of domestic violence to protect them from the abuser. It is applicable when the plaintiff (survivor) and defendant (abuser):

• are spouses or former spouses
• are persons of the opposite sex who are not married but live together or have lived together
• have a child in common
• are parent and child or grandparent and grandchild
• are current or former household members
• are persons who are in or have been in a dating relationship.

A Civil No-Contact Order (50C) protects survivors of stalking or nonconsensual sexual conduct from individuals with whom they do not have a personal relationship (strangers, neighbors, coworkers).  The orders do not require physical injury; they can order the defendant to cease contact with the plaintiff, cease any harassment, and stay away from the survivor/victim’s home, school, or workplace.

Many donors to InterAct choose to remember a loved one or honor someone special with their gift. The donation portal makes it easy: check Dedicate my donation when you select your gift amount, and you will be asked if you are honoring (a living person) or giving the gift in memory of someone.

InterAct will notify the honoree or a family member via email or a card--your choice. The recipient will not see the amount you donated, just that you gave a tribute gift. You can also write a short message to go along with the notification. You can choose not to have your name publicly associated with the gift, and you can choose to remain anonymous altogether.

Finally, you can add a comment that will appear in the gift portal, hide your gift from the public if you like, provide an email for a tax receipt, and see if your company provides matching gifts.

The list below includes all those honored or memorialized in the past year.

In Honor Of:

A cherished community member

Amy Bason

Amy Parker

Amy Richardson

Baby Arya

Bianca Valladares

Cheryl Freda

Courtney Britt on her Birthday

Cynamon Chawla

Daphne's birthday fundraiser for InterAct

Denise McDonald

Donna DeWolfe

Dr. Jan Rogers and Ms. Janine Kossen

Emily Nassif

Eric David and Anne Harvey on their wedding

Erin Cosgrave

Fay Ross

Gena Rich's birthday fundraiser for InterAct

Glenn And Diane Rupert

Harriet & Jerry Worley

Jamie Gabriel

Jim And Cathy Higgins

Jocie And Kevin Northrup

John S. Gallagher

Kaitlyn Tun

Katheryn Langley Anderson

Katie Hendrick

Keegan Sell

Kerrith McDowell

Laurence "Lennie" Spece

Leslie Kepler

Lex & Juliette Carroll

Makayla Haag's solo exhibition, Time Moves Through My Body Like a Knotted String

Mary Frances Moody

Matt And Makeda Agius

Melissa's birthday fundraiser

Melissa White

My mother

Nancy Anderson

Nancy P

Olivia Joyner

Paula Bost

Rachael Brooks

Rachel Rogers on her birthday

Referral Partners At TDL

Sandra Elam

Selah Jenssen on her Graduation

Sheila Kekesi

Taylor Gordon Payne & Paige Gordon

The Zetas of Raleigh

Thomas Mauer

Tina Howard on her Retirement

Tomiegrace Brutus on her birthday

Walker Mabe

In Memory Of:

All who lost their lives

Dr. Molly Glander

Ernesteen J. Summerlin

Ethan Naftalin

Glenda Milikin Myers-In Memoriam

Honorable Judge Jennifer Green

Juanita Sinclair

Kym Forbes

Mary Ellen Truxell

Melissa

Michelle Young & Nancy Cooper

Priya

River and Jet Collins

Sepi Saidi-In Memoriam

The 560 members of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, Raleigh Alumnae Chapter, donated much-needed items to InterAct's pantry just in time for Valentine's Day. Organized by Bianca Holman and Tina Smalley (pictured), the donations were gratefully received. To find out what is on the urgent needs list, check our Amazon Wish List . You can fill out a donation drive form, check the wish list, and see frequently-asked questions on our website: interactofwake.org.

BCBSNC

Charles Schwab

Cisco Systems

Duke Energy Progress

Gigamon,Inc.

Google

IBM Corporation

John Deere Company

Liberty Mutual

Principal Financial Group

Lenovo

Red Hat

SalesForce

The CLOROX Company

Yahoo

GiftHub

Starbucks Coffee

Ameriprise Financial Group

Apple Inc.

Nationwide

CLSB Holdings, Inc.

Accenture

So glad you are here.

InterAct is serving more clients than ever. Domestic violence and sexual assault are with us year-round. Your steady support is more important than ever.

Help us sustain our momentum and make an impact every day.

Click here to make a one-time donation, set up a recurring donation, or make a non-cash gift via your DAF, a stock transfer, or an IRA gift.

• Crown Premiums
• SHE NC
• Lord of Life Lutheran Church
• Raleigh Civitan Club
• Think Medical, Inc.
• My Way Tavern - Fuquay-Varina

• First United Methodist Church, Cary
• White Memorial Presbyterian Church
• United Methodist Women of Edenton Street UMC
• United Way iof Central Maryland

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