image courtesy of Beth Punches, Flickr.com
Things are happening in the state of Florida to bring awareness to the issue of domestic violence (DV). Domestic violence is a very real problem, affecting hundreds of thousands of American women and children each year. Florida is a nationally recognized leader in the prevention of domestic violence through programs, policies, and services aimed at assisting DV victims and their children.
I am proud that our state is committed to bringing the issue of domestic violence to the forefront, and to doing whatever is in our power to put an end to the abuse.
Here’s what’s going on currently:
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
For starters, Florida Governor Rick Scott has declared the month of October 2015 to be Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Read his official proclamation here.
Here are some Florida DV statistics from 2014:
- 106,882 incidences of DV reported
- 64,460 arrests made
- 205 people died as a result of DV murder and manslaughter (20.9% of all homicides)
- Florida’s 42 DV centers provided shelter to 15,397 survivors of DV and their children
- 109,045 safety plans provided by DV centers statewide
- 99,130 hotline calls responded to by DV centers
New Bill Regarding Divorce for Domestic Violence Victims
Just last week, Florida Representative Halsey Beshears filed a bill that will allow victims of domestic violence who are new to Florida to file for divorce right away.
Current law requires that couples new to Florida wait 6 months before filing for divorce.
Rep. Beshears’ bill makes an exception for victims of physical or verbal abuse, allowing them to file less than 6 months after moving to Florida. He is currently working on getting a Senate sponsor.
We will keep you posted on new developments regarding domestic violence and divorce in Florida. Stay tuned!
If you are a victim of domestic violence, please call the Florida Domestic Violence Hotline at: 800-500-1119
Call George Gelb today for a FREE, CONFIDENTIAL consultation on filing for divorce. (561) 748-8000