Spokane Sheriff's Office raising money to donate Ring doorbells to sexual assault survivors

In recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which lasts throughout April, the Spokane County Sheriff's Office is hoping the community chips in to help it donate Ring doorbells to local victims.

The Sheriff's Office Sexual Assault Unit, which is leading the effort, hopes to raise enough to donate at least 10 cameras. A GoFundMe campaign with a $1,000 goal will fund those security camera doorbells being donated to Lutheran Community Services Northwest, which provides confidential assistance for sexual assault survivors.

"In some of my cases I’ve had victims say they would feel more comfortable having a surveillance system after an assault," explains Detective Brad Humphrey, who works in the Sheriff's Sexual Assault Unit and who started the campaign. "Especially if the perpetrator is still out of custody."

The video and sound surveillance from Ring (which doesn't require users to actually have a preexisting doorbell) may offer a sense of comfort to people who've been in that situation, he says.

Donations through the GoFundMe go to the Spokane County Chaplaincy Services nonprofit, which is putting 100 percent of the proceeds toward purchasing cameras to then be donated to Lutheran.

People will be able to receive the cameras confidentially through Lutheran, regardless of whether their case is moving through the criminal justice system.

Lutheran staff and volunteers operate a 24/7 crisis hotline (509-624-7273), provide victim advocates at the hospital while evidence is collected, support people throughout the criminal justice process should they go that route, and can connect people with counseling.

"Surveillance is always helpful from a criminal justice standpoint, but this is more to help the victim regain their sense of confidence or power over their situation," Humphrey says. "I think that after a sexual assault, a lot of times the victim does have a feeling of powerlessness, and that fear and powerlessness can cause them to be re-victimized. This is what we can do to help prevent that and help them regain some sense of normalcy."