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Interventions: Florida Resources

Most people are not aware of the resources, such as shelters, that are available in their communities. They need to know what organizations are there to help them and be given specific contact information. Whenever possible, the health provider should offer to help them make contact. Health providers should try as much as possible to direct patients to organizations that meet their unique needs (teen, elderly, lesbian, Spanish-speaking, etc.). There may be many resources to choose from, and the choice can be confusing to someone who is already fearful and stressed.

Florida has taken a progressive attitude toward intervention for domestic/intimate partner violence and is at the forefront of states' efforts to protect victims and prevent violence. While domestic violence remains a serious problem in Florida, there has been significant improvement. Studies indicate that from 1994 to 2003, domestic violence is up 0.6% in number (because of overall population increase and increase in reporting) but down 18.2 % in rate.

Domestic violence centers

Florida has 41 domestic violence centers throughout the state. In fiscal year 2003-2004, Florida's domestic violence centers responded to 132,629 crisis calls, provided counseling services to 197,787 individuals, and provided emergency shelter to 14,467 individuals, primarily women and children. The domestic violence centers provide a wide variety of services, including the following:

Safety planning: The victim needs plans for safety because if the victim remains, s/he may be victimized at any time. If the victim tries to leave, the perpetrator may be provoked to violence; and if the victim has already left, the chance for violence actually increases. People who want to leave abusive situations are often realistic in their fears that they will be injured or killed if they try to do so. They must have a plan that will ensure their own safety and the safety of any children.
Emergency shelter: Each domestic violence center has shelters available at secure locations; usually 1 or 2 shelters. These are usually run by nonprofit agencies but certified by the state of Florida. They all have their own criteria and provide different types of services. For example, they may range from 8 to 66 beds. The length of stay varies considerably, often related to availability of beds. Maximum stays may range from 6 to 8 weeks. The shelters vary in the types of services they provide. Some do not deal with rape crisis.
Face-to-face and telephone counseling: Counseling services may vary throughout the state, but the domestic violence centers will help to facilitate appropriate counseling services for victims.
Abuse hotline support: The Florida Domestic Violence Hotline is available throughout the state of Florida to take referrals and provide assistance:

1-800-500-1119
TTY-1-800-621-4202

Professional training: The domestic violence centers promote and provide on-site training and technical assistance to domestic violence center staff and other professionals working with domestic violence victims and their children.

Click here to locate Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence - Local certified domestic violence centers.

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The Domestic Violence Center provide counseling as well as shelters.

Rural Diversity Initiative:

The Rural Diversity Initiative (RDI) is sponsored by the Florida Coalition against Violence Project. A needs assessment showed that the African American community was overwhelmingly the most under-served population in North Florida's rural communities. Since its inception in 1996, the RDI has opened 12 outreach offices serving 21 counties. Two new shelters have been established, and more than 2500 rural victims have been provided with crisis intervention services. The rural initiative provides an annual rural conference, “Behind Closed Doors-Breaking the Silence in Rural Communities.” The goal of the RDI is to promote an environment where women of color, who suffer from domestic/intimate partner violence, can access intervention services. Services that the RDI provide include:

Injunction assistance
Crisis counseling
Support groups
Referrals
Transportation
Community education

This program has been so successful that it is being emulated in other states.

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The Rural Diversity Initiative targets Hispanics.

Haitian Refugee Domestic Violence Project

The Haitian Refugee Domestic Violence Project (HRDVP), sponsored by the Florida Coalition against Violence Project, aims to address the particular issues that are faced by Haitian-Creole immigrant women. The Coalition will collaborate with shelters in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties to provide the Haitian-Creole community a number of services:

Translation services
Injunction services
Information & referral
Safety planning
Education/training programs for a variety of civic and community-based organizations

Elder Project

Florida has the highest proportion of older residents to younger residents in the United States and ranks 4th among the states in actual numbers of elderly citizens, with over 3.6 million Floridians aged 60 and over. The Florida Coalition against Violence Project has recently distributed elder domestic violence posters, brochures, and booklets in an effort to improve awareness that violence occurs in all types of families, regardless of age.

Battered Women's Prison Project

The Battered women's Prison Project (BWPP), sponsored by the Florida Coalition against Violence Project, advocates for the freedom of incarcerated victims through clemency representation. The project works to gain release of women convicted of killing their abusers and also advocates for those imprisoned for attempted murder and other charges. The project documents all instances of abuse, mental health consequences, and injustices of the criminal judicial system. It provides representation throughout the clemency interview processes. Clients are also assisted with prison issues, aftercare plans, and other needs.

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The Battered Women's Prison Project assists women who have been convicted of minor crimes.

Clearinghouse Project

The Clearinghouse Project (CP) was initiated in 1977 as the first pilot project of its type in the United States. This project is sponsored by the Florida Coalition against Violence Project. The purpose of the CP was initially to assist victims of domestic/intimate partner violence with legal assistance or obtaining injunctions for protection. But it has expanded its role. A Civil Legal Assistance grant is being used to expand the CP through legal representation of domestic/intimate partner violence victims in dissolution of marriage and child custody actions.

Violence Free Florida Initiative

In 2002, Governor Jeb Bush initiated a campaign to educate the public and increase awareness of domestic/intimate partner violence, provide safety and services to victims, and create public/private partnerships to address the problem. The initiative is implemented by the Department of Children and Families. Some projects of the initiative include the following:

Development and circulation of an electronic newsletter, DV Digest , which provides updates to Florida's domestic violence initiatives, activities and achievements, including relevant legislation.
Establishment of Volunteer for Ending Abuse, Improving Lives to facilitate the pro bono provision of health care to battered women and children in shelters, in collaboration with statewide organizations representing health care professionals.

Injunctions/Restraining Orders

A victim of domestic/intimate partner violence, or any person at risk of becoming a victim of domestic violence, also has the right to ask for a court order known as an “injunction for protection,” commonly referred to as a "restraining order." Under Florida law, the victim has the right to ask for an injunction for protection by filing a petition with the Clerk of the Court at any local courthouse. The person seeking the injunction does not need to have an attorney, and since October 2002, there has been no filing fee for an injunction for protection against domestic violence. However, if the person is not a resident of Florida, there may be a sheriff's fee, which can be waived if the person filing has insufficient funds. Someone should be available to assist in filling out the necessary paperwork. After the paperwork has been completed, if it is determined by the Court that the person is in danger of being victimized, the deputy clerk will prepare a temporary injunction order for signature by a judge. This order can be obtained on the same day the person files the petition without a hearing before the judge. The temporary injunction is valid for up to 15 days, during which time a court hearing will be scheduled to determine if there is the need for a permanent injunction. People applying for injunctions should be advised that they need to make a plan for safety as well. The Florida Task Force on Domestic and Sexual violence found that more than 17% of domestic homicide victims had a protection order against the perpetrator at the time of the killing.

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Once a person who has been abused gains an injunction against the perpetrator of the abuse, s/he can be assured of safety.

Batterer intervention program

The Batterer Intervention Program (BIP) is now administered by the Florida Department of Children and Families. The role of the program is NOT to intercede on behalf of the batterer in any legal or civil proceedings regarding past, current, or future abusive behavior. There are a number of purposes for the BIP:

Hold batterers accountable, challenge their beliefs and teach new skills to facilitate behavior changes.
Provide a role model while educating the batterer about alternative behaviors.
Collect data to assist with evaluations of program effectiveness and recidivism.
Disallow collusion and victim blaming by batterers and others.
Challenge myths about domestic violence and promote “zero tolerance” of violent behavior.
Coordinate services including referrals to other agencies for needed services.
Heighten public awareness through community education.

Most courses in the program involve 26 group meetings, lasting 1.5 hours each. The overall goal of the program is essentially to provide participants with information and practical tools to change those values, beliefs, and behaviors that provided the foundation for their use of violence and other methods of abuse.

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The purpose of the Batterer Intervention Program is to punish the perpetrator of domestic/intimate partner violence.

Cut Out Domestic Violence?

Cut Out Domestic Violence is a partnership of the Office of the Attorney General and the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence that sponsors educational seminars about domestic violence for hair stylists and nail technicians. These professionals are often on the "front lines" of the battles against domestic violence. Hair stylists and nail technicians may be able to spot early warning signs and help victims get the assistance they need.

Safety Net

Safety Net is a program of the National Network to End Domestic Violence Fund, supported by the Florida Office of the Attorney General, to expand the use of high-tech tools to improve safety for survivors of domestic violence. The program will educate those who can protect and aid those victims, such as law enforcement officers, victim advocates, and emergency care personnel, in the use of wireless and other modern technologies to increase personal safety and privacy. Increasingly, abusers are installing spyware software programs on computers to monitor their partner's online activity or using satellite tracking devices to monitor their activities. Caller ID devices have been used to track victims. Law enforcement officers will receive training on how to identify and hold abusers responsible for the misuse of technology.

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Safety Net is a program to combat perpetrators of abuse who utilize technology such as spyware and tracking devices.