Safety is more than shelter. NewStory Center advocates for survivors!

🛑 When “The System” Falls Short, Survivors Suffer — and So Do Communities

      📍 Serving Rutland County, Vermont – NewStory Center

At NewStory Center, we know that for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, safety is more than shelter. It’s also about knowing what’s coming, being believed, and having a voice in systems that often silence or overlook those most at risk.

That’s why we’re spotlighting a critical article from Vermont Public highlighting the failures in Vermont’s VINELink notification system.

“I was never told... and I had never heard of VINELink before the first call.”

That’s what survivor Kelsey Rice told legislators after her abuser—who was supposed to be held on bail—returned to her home in Brattleboro, assaulted her, and triggered a trauma spiral that continues to this day.

Instead of getting a heads-up that he was released, she got a robotic phone call days later, which rang repeatedly until she confirmed receipt—each ring a reminder of terror.

“We cannot ask survivors to rebuild their lives while handing them broken tools,” said Jennifer, a NewStory Center advocate. “Information systems like VINELink should be reliable, trauma-informed, and survivor-centric. Right now, they’re none of those things.”

💔 A System Designed to Inform, Failing to Protect

Vermont’s contract with VINELink costs taxpayers over $400,000—yet 80% of state victim advocates surveyed say they don’t trust it. Victims are notified too late—or not at all. Sometimes they get alerts about the wrong person. And often, those alerts are delivered in a cold, mechanical format that retraumatizes rather than reassures.

“These aren’t just data errors. These are safety failures,” said Jessica E., NewStory Center's Program Director. “One missed alert can mean life or death. We’ve seen it too many times.”

📣 Survivors Deserve Better. So Do You.

At NewStory Center, we advocate for survivors and system change. Here’s what we’re calling for—and what you can support:

✅ Trauma-Informed Notification Systems

• Let survivors customize alerts: Choose how and when they receive notifications.

• Ensure systems provide accurate, real-time data —no more guesswork or anxiety spirals.

• Invest in human follow-up, not just automation.

✅ Reasonable Caseloads for Advocates

• Support legislation to increase staffing at Vermont’s victim services departments.

• Fund community-based programs like NewStory Center to ensure survivors don’t fall through the cracks.

✅ Survivor-Centered Legislation

• Contact your local reps and ask how they’re supporting survivors in the 2025 legislative session.

• Ask about efforts to reform VINELink or increase funding for victim advocacy in Vermont.

• Need a starting point? Start with Rep. Alice Emmons , chair of the House Corrections and Institutions Committee.

“When survivors like Kelsey Rice tell their story, they are opening a door for all of us to demand better,” said Avaloy Lanning , Executive Director at NewStory Center. “We owe it to them to walk through that door—and to hold systems accountable.”

❤️ What You Can Do Today

• Share the article: Read it here

• Donate or volunteer with NewStory Center here

• Follow us on social media for legislative updates and survivor stories