LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — In an effort to provide discreet support to victims of domestic violence, Arkansas has adopted an initiative called “Laura’s Book.”

Named after a victim of domestic abuse, the card is designed to provide individuals with vital resources and information in a way that can be easily accessed without raising suspicion or increasing danger.

The card includes key information such as confidential hotline numbers, details of available shelters, legal resources for filing protective orders and information on victims’ rights.

The goal is to provide survivors with a path to safety.

In 2012, Laura Abbott, the driving force behind Laura’s Card, was a victim of domestic violence.

With the support of her friends and family, they entered a criminal trial in 2013, which she says is unusual for many victims of domestic violence. Here she noticed gaps in the judicial system.

“There was no card that existed at that time. And there really wasn’t a website specifically designed for victim rights information. For our state to be in that situation where 38 other states have enforceable victim rights, we didn’t even have a card that people could touch or a website that people could go to to get them . For me it was a big gap. And we weren’t doing the people of our state a service by not having that,” Abbott says.

The Laura Card was introduced as part of a wider initiative with Victims Rights to raise awareness of domestic violence and provide more resources for those in need.

Officers are trained to discreetly give the card to people they encounter in situations that may indicate domestic abuse, whether or not the person directly reported the violence.

“The law enforcement officers show up, then they have to, by law, provide Laura’s card on the call. They also do what Laura’s law is, a lethality assessment. But any crime victim in the state of Arkansas can get a Laura Card. .”

The card is just one component of Arkansas’ ongoing efforts to combat domestic violence, which remains a significant problem in the state.

By making resources more accessible, Laura’s Card aims to empower victims to take the first step towards breaking free from abusive situations.

“Victims Right provides protection for victims and provides a way for victims to be empowered to take their lives back. The great thing about this card is that it’s not about what political party someone is. It’s about human beings. It’s not about gender. It’s not about how someone identifies, it’s not about social class, it’s not about ethnicity. It’s about human beings and that we all deserve to have our victims’ rights, we deserve to have our resources, and we deserve to be safe.”

The program is a significant step forward in ensuring that victims of domestic violence are given the tools they need to protect themselves and begin their journey to safety.

The Victim’s Rights site will soon add resources for mass violence events and LGBTQ survivors of domestic violence.