This morning the Seattle City Council heard powerful testimony on the vital role SPD's crime victims' advocates play in the community (the council will consider restoring two victim advocate positions cut in Mayor Mike McGinn's proposed budget at 3:15 p.m. today). King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg testified, followed by the surviving partner of Teresa Butz, who, along with Butz, was brutally raped and had her throat slit in their bedroom in July 2009 (background here). This was Butz's partner's first public account of her attack (listen to it here but fair warning, it made me cry):

Theresa and I awoke to a naked man standing over us in our bedroom. He had a butcher knife and demanded sex. For the next hour he proceeded to torture us and sexually assault us all the while assuring us he would leave when he was through. Instead we quickly learned that he had other plans, plans that included staring at us in our eyes as he slit our throats. We begged and pleaded for our lives. Blood was everywhere. I was absolutely sure I was living my last moments here on earth.

...It sounds like something out of a horror movie, right? I lost so much that night. I lost the love of my life, my future... I lost my independence. I'm a 38-year-old woman who cannot live alone, cannot be alone in a house in the dark, I need someone who can walk me to my car... I only started sleeping with the lights on a few months ago but still don't sleep much because even though it's been over a year I still don't trust I can close my eyes and won't wake up to someone else standing above me, holding a knife.

...I'm strong because I made a choice to be, but I haven't been in this alone. From the moment I was taken into Harborview I have been surrounded by support structures that have literally held my hand and walked me through this process. Diane Priest, my advocate, plays a key role in making sure that I understand everything that's going on in my case. Early on I knew that one of the hardest parts of all of this would be trying to take care of all the people who lost Teresa. Diane takes care of this for me. She helps me by helping them because when a crime like this is committed there are more victims than just Teresa and I... I know I am beyond fortunate to have friends and family that will always be there. I am not alone yet I feel that nearly every night I hear about another homicide or assault. I hear about it on a daily basis and know that not everyone is as lucky as I am. I cannot imagine what this process would be like for me and my family without my advocate. I come to you today on behalf of all the victims...for them, for me, I ask you to keep these victim advocate programs alive and well.

Council staff tells me that at today's meeting, the council is also considering broadening the advocates' scope of work to include malicious harassment and biased crimes.