Oklahoma's VINE Program a Welcome Tool for Domestic Violence Survivors

For women who have escaped a violent relationship, safety is the number one priority for them and their children. But for those whose boyfriends, husbands or intimate partners have been imprisoned for their acts, the fear of reprisal and revenge remains a constant threat.

To combat that threat, the Oklahoma Attorney General's office launched the Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE) program, which provides inmate tracking and protective order data for victims and other concerned citizens of crime, including family members. The service is free and anonymous.

For domestic violence survivors, VINE is a welcome tool that delivers a higher degree of peace of mind by alerting them of any change in the status of their incarcerated abuser. Registered users can be alerted by phone, text message, email or TTY device.

"By providing information on inmate status, we are increasing victim safety," says Lesley March, chief of the AG's Victim Services Unit. "Victims are no longer dependent on the courthouse being open for them to be notified of the release of a potentially dangerous individual. Knowledge many times translates into power, and with victims of crime it may mean the difference between life and death."

To register for the VINE service, visit www.vinelink.com or call 877.OK4.VINE.