In the Sounder’s print and online “opinion” section, a public agency’s integrity has been called into question.

A letter from Elise Anderson (“DVSAS mounts vigilante campaigns” 12/8/10 print edition, 11/30/10 online) ignited a series of angry public comments on our Web site about the motives of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services of the San Juans. Some of the remarks included:

“DVSAS is currently operating as an unregulated pack of wolves and laws should be put in place to prevent them from destroying more innocent families’ lives.”

“I think an independent investigation of DVSAS is called for from the state.”

Cases that involve sexual and/or physical abuse – for men, women, and children – are some of the most emotionally charged for our communities. When someone is accused of sexual assault or domestic violence, it is traumatic for everyone involved: the accuser, the accused, and the families and friends.

DVSAS of the San Juan Islands is a non-profit agency whose mission is the prevention and elimination of domestic violence and sexual assault through victim services, education, community awareness and cultural and social change.

The agency doesn’t share confidential information with the sheriff’s office. If there is suspected child or elder sexual or physical abuse (like deprivation and neglect or ongoing physical abuse), advocates are required by law to report it. But DVSAS does not investigate, collect evidence, bring charges, or prosecute. They are not here to judge.

DVSAS is an organization that is critical to helping victims of abuse. Is it possible for someone to manipulate the system? Perhaps, as nothing is fool-proof. But DVSAS is bound by law to prevent and eliminate domestic violence and sexual assault.

The fact of the matter is: sexual assault and domestic violence, in particular, are a real problem in our county. Don’t blame DVSAS; the agency is just the messenger. DVSAS advocates aren’t dreaming up cases out of thin air. Clients walk through their doors either from a friend or family referral, or the sheriff’s office has told the alleged victim about the services that DVSAS offers. It is also not an agency that is “against” men. Males who have experienced sexual abuse account for 30 percent of DVSAS’s counseling clients.

We’d like to point out that DVSAS is an accredited, state-approved program. Every four years, it undergoes a review process for its sexual assault program, the same accreditation that Harborview Medical Center and Providence Hospital completes.

The organization has always passed, and last spring it received a 100 percent approval rating. DVSAS had to meet specific standards for all of its services, which include counseling, crisis intervention, legal and medical advocacy, community education and prevention programs, a safe house, and family programs.

We should be careful where we lay the blame. It behooves our community to have these kind of agencies. Obviously, the accused won’t feel kindly toward DVSAS, but there are legitimate victims for whom DVSAS is their only hope in a desperate situation.