. >> reporter: dc superior court chief judge lee sadderfield. >> we follow our oath of office. we feel sad when something tragic happens to somebody. >> reporter: alicia wheeler followed the rules and applied for a temporary order but never made it to her trial for a permanent order. she was killed one day after filing the tpo. >> as a judge, it's hard to predict which person is not going to follow your order. >> we are devastated. >> reporter: protective orders work 80% of the time. >> you never know how intent the abuser is. >> reporter: it's designed to reach out to victims immediately following the crime. that's when a first responder calls advocate here and within an hour the advocate will meet with a victim and set up an emergency plan. >> we're here to assist you in safety planning. >> reporter: in april alone, survivors and advocates created 585 safety emergency plans, including relocating 43 families but only providing 15 lock changes. >> so a lot of this is the victim trying to engage her own safety. >> reporter: 75% of victims do not have attorneys in court with them