ALAMANCE COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — Assault by strangulation, forcible rape, kidnapping and assault are charges against one Alamance County man named Tyson Garner.
Less than 24 hours after his arrest, Garner was released on a $350,000 secured bond.
Advocacy groups in Alamance County who work with victims of assault and domestic violence say it is common to see the person accused of such serious crimes get out on bond quickly.
Each case is different in how high the bond is set and what resources the suspect has available to them if they are able to post bond.
But the common theme is when it does happen, there is an added level of fear for all victims.
“It creates more fear, more trauma, more anxiety, not knowing what that will look like for them when they had that moment of peace, and now they are out, and they have to restart that cycle all over again with fear and anxiety,” said Detra Betts, the executive director at Family Abuse Services in Alamance County.
It is something the district attorney takes into consideration when requesting a bond amount, but it’s up to the judge to make that decision.
“What the victim is experiencing there is not a monetary amount,” said Meredith Peffley, the executive director at Crossroads Sexual Assault and Resource Center. “I think in general, in a serious case, we want as a high bond as what they are going to offer them.”
The Alamance County district attorney says there are some restrictions on how high a judge can go on a bond amount based on the findings of a lawsuit from the ACLU claiming the county’s bonds were continually too strict, and people could not actually afford to pay them.
Regardless of the dollar amount set by the judge, victim services throughout the county make sure to get in touch with victims before the perpetrator’s first appearance, so the victims know their options right away.
“It could include transportation, emergency assistance, housing, food and shelter, safety, all of those things, the basic needs of an individual first then we can deal with the trauma after that,” Peffley said.
It could be with the Family Justice Center, Crossroads or Family Abuse Services since those organizations will go over safety planning with victims and can help with a number of things, including adding cameras to your home or being temporarily re-located.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe. Everyone deserves to be supported. Everyone deserves to be believed in their situation,” Betts said.
Typically, if granted release on bond, there will be some conditions including no contact with the victims or an ankle monitor that will alert victims if the perpetrator is nearby.
While those are helpful, it doesn’t prevent victims from being scared, which is why those advocacy groups are here to help.
