Florida Recognizes October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Governor Rick Scott proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Florida. Throughout October, the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) is raising awareness to help recognize and stop domestic violence. This month, DCF also received more than $8 million from the STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program through the U.S. Department of Justice.
“Victims of domestic violence can be your neighbors, friends, and even your family; the mental impact of this trauma can last for generations,” DCF Secretary Mike Carroll said. “DCF will continue to partner with agencies across the state to protect survivors from their abusers and help families rebuild their lives.”
The annual STOP grant will support the implementation of strategies addressing violence against women in Florida. This funding will go toward critical services and programs provided by victim services providers, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and courts through contracts with the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Florida Department of Health.
Florida currently has 42 certified domestic violence centers located throughout the state that provide life-saving emergency shelters, services, and programming to survivors and their children. In 2016, the centers provided 145,327 safety plans and responded to 84,457 hotline calls, with an additional 25,540 Florida Domestic Violence Hotline calls. Domestic violence crimes against spouses and cohabitants are overwhelmingly the most frequently reported relationship between perpetrators and victims.
The Florida Domestic Violence Hotline provides multilingual services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Services include support, advocacy, information and referral services for the survivors of domestic violence, their children, families, and friends residing in Florida’s 67 counties.
If you suspect that someone is involved in domestic violence, call the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-500-1119.
For more information about DCF’s Domestic Violence Program, CLICK HERE.