Jul 14, 2026 | News
Local High-Risk Teams have completed more than 1,000 lethality screens and connected more than 470 survivors to advocacy since 2019
MARINETTE, Wis. – In a June 23 interview on Oprah’s podcast, author Rachel Louise Snyder, whose bestselling book No Visible Bruises reshaped how Americans understand domestic violence, argued that the term itself falls short: what we are really talking about is intimate terrorism. The episode explored the risk factors for homicide and the hard truth that, for many women, the most dangerous place is inside their own home.
“Oprah’s podcast reaches tens of millions of people. Many of them will hear Rachel Snyder’s words and recognize someone they love. Some will recognize themselves,” said Courtney Olson, Executive Director of Rainbow House. “We want those people to know that help exists, and that it is closer than you think, right here in Marinette and Oconto Counties.”
For too long, communities have treated domestic violence homicide as a tragedy no one could have seen coming. Yet again and again, before a woman was killed, she had contact with police, courts, advocates, and health care providers, people who never had the chance to connect the dots. The truth is painful, but it is also hopeful: many domestic violence homicides are preceded by recognizable warning signs, including threats to kill, strangulation, stalking, access to firearms, and violence that escalates after a victim tries to leave. When communities are trained to recognize those signs and respond together, outcomes can change.
That is why Rainbow House, local law enforcement, the District Attorney’s Office, and Probation and Parole made the decision to strengthen, together, how the region responds to the most dangerous domestic violence cases. Through the local Domestic Violence High-Risk Teams, those agencies now sit at the same table and ask the same questions about each dangerous case: What is the risk? What can we do, together, right now? Referrals are based on the Lethality Assessment Program 2.0, an evidence-based screening model developed by the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence. When a responding officer identifies a victim as high-risk, the victim is connected with a Rainbow House advocate on the spot for safety planning and support, rather than being left to find help alone.
Since launching this coordinated response in 2019, Marinette and Oconto Counties have completed more than 1,000 lethality screens, connected more than 470 survivors directly to advocacy services, and identified more than 250 cases involving strangulation, one of the strongest predictors of domestic violence homicide.
In one recent case, a survivor’s lethality screen scored 22 out of 26, placing her at the highest level of danger. When her case was staffed at a High-Risk Team meeting, the team provided her with security cameras, a personal alarm, and personal supplies, and ensured the District Attorney’s office had accurate and current contact information. Law enforcement was also able to document her internal and external injuries and obtain the medical release needed for her reconstructive surgery.
“We know this work saves lives. But it is not easy,” Olson said. “It requires every part of the system to acknowledge that no single agency can prevent domestic violence homicide alone. It requires humility, training, and political will, and it requires investment in the tools, protocols, and infrastructure communities need to act early and act together.”
Rainbow House is proud to serve as the statewide trainer for the Lethality Assessment in Wisconsin, helping communities across the state put this lifesaving tool into practice. More information is available at wisconsinlap.org.
Marinette and Oconto Counties are proud to be part of a growing national movement that believes the worst outcomes of domestic violence are not inevitable. They are predictable. They are preventable. And they demand a coordinated response.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, Rainbow House offers free, confidential help. Call the toll-free 24-hour crisis line at (800) 956-6656. In an emergency, call 911.
About Rainbow House
Rainbow House Domestic Abuse Services provides free, confidential support, advocacy, and emergency shelter to those affected by domestic violence in Marinette, Oconto, and Florence Counties, with co-advocacy in neighboring Menominee County, Michigan. Learn more at therainbowhouse.us.
Jun 19, 2026 | News
Wisconsin LAP 2.0 Now Has a Home Online: Introducing wisconsinlap.org
Rainbow House Domestic Abuse Services is proud to announce the launch of wisconsinlap.org, the new official website for the Wisconsin Lethality Assessment Program 2.0 (LAP 2.0) statewide initiative.
The Wisconsin LAP 2.0 program equips domestic violence advocates across the state with evidence-based tools to assess danger and connect survivors to services at the moment of highest risk. The new website serves as a central hub for advocates, partner agencies, law enforcement, and community members to access training information, resources, and program updates.
What you’ll find at wisconsinlap.org:
- Information about LAP 2.0 training opportunities across Wisconsin
- Resources for advocates and partner agencies
- Program updates and news
- Contact information for the Wisconsin LAP 2.0 statewide team
Rainbow House has been a proud leader in the Wisconsin LAP 2.0 initiative, working alongside community partners to bring this life-saving program to advocates in Northeastern Wisconsin and beyond. This website reflects our commitment to making LAP 2.0 resources accessible to every advocate in the state who needs them.
We invite advocates, agency partners, law enforcement, and community stakeholders to visit wisconsinlap.org and bookmark it as your go-to resource for all things Wisconsin LAP 2.0.
For more information about LAP 2.0 training opportunities in your area, contact Courtney@therainbowhouse.us.
May 1, 2026 | News
May 2026
Rainbow House Domestic Abuse Services is pleased to announce that the K.C. Stock Foundation of Green Bay has awarded a $5,000 grant in support of our Oconto County Survivor Services Program. This is the first grant Rainbow House has received from the K.C. Stock Foundation, and we are deeply honored to be welcomed as a new grantee partner.
The K.C. Stock Foundation’s mission is to improve the lives of Oconto County residents physically, spiritually, and emotionally, with particular attention to disadvantaged populations. We are grateful to the Foundation’s Board of Directors for recognizing that domestic abuse survivors and their children are among the most vulnerable members of our community, and for choosing to invest in their safety, healing, and long-term stability.
Funds from this grant will support direct services for Oconto County survivors, including crisis advocacy, safety planning, civil legal services, individual counseling, and emergency shelter access. This new partnership with the K.C. Stock Foundation will help Rainbow House sustain services at a time when federal Victims of Crime Act funding has been reduced significantly nationwide.
Rainbow House has served survivors of domestic abuse across North Eastern Wisconsin since 1978. Our commitment to Oconto County, where geographic isolation and limited local resources can make reaching help especially difficult, is unwavering. The K.C. Stock Foundation’s investment helps make that commitment possible.
On behalf of the survivors and families we serve, the Rainbow House Board, and our entire team, thank you to the K.C. Stock Foundation. We look forward to a meaningful and lasting partnership.
Jan 26, 2026 | News
We are deeply grateful to St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church in Stephenson, MI and Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Wallace, MI for their incredible generosity through their Giving Tree program. Under the leadership of Pastor Brenda Greenwald, these two sister congregations worked together to collect essential items for the families we serve through their Christmas Giving Tree program.
When our team member Irene and her volunteer husband Curt arrived to pick up the donations, they were overwhelmed by what awaited them. The gifts literally filled our van from floor to ceiling! The thoughtful collection included toys and puzzles for children, household essentials like vacuum cleaners and toasters, personal care items including body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and deodorant, cleaning supplies from laundry detergent to all-purpose cleaners, household necessities like towels, shower curtains, paper products, and first aid supplies, and backpacks for children starting fresh.
Every item represents more than just a material gift—it represents dignity, hope, and a fresh start for survivors rebuilding their lives. These donations will directly support families as they transition from crisis to safety and stability.
Thank you to Pastor Brenda Greenwald and the entire congregations of St. Stephen’s and Gethsemane Lutheran Churches for embodying the spirit of “God’s Work. YOUR hands.” Your compassion makes a profound difference in our community.
