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Bad economy may be sparking more domestic violence PDF Print E-mail
County News
Friday, 08 October 2010 14:58
By Brian McBride
Associate Editor
With the number of domestic violence cases in Osceola County on a track that could exceed last year, local advocates are hoping events during Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October will shed light on the problem.
In just the first nine months of this year, Help Now of Osceola County, a domestic violence prevention program that operates a 52-bed safe shelter for female victims and their children in Kissimmee, has seen just as many cases as it did in all of 2009, program Executive Director Tammy Douglass said.
The nonprofit agency is taking advantage of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a nationwide campaign, to participate in several events to try to combat the abuse.
“It’s an enormous problem and we are trying to get awareness out there,” Douglass said at the Kissimmee City Commission meeting Tuesday during a proclamation for National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Some of the scheduled events include:
• A proclamation at the St. Cloud City Council Thursday at St. Cloud City Hall.
• A Kissimmee Police Department self-defense class for women Oct. 16 at the department, 8 N. Stewart Ave., from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To register, call 407-847-0176, Ext. 3234.
• The Flip Flop Party Hop Friday, Oct. 22, at Gaylord Palms Resort, from 7 to 11 p.m. The Help Now fundraiser, which encourages attendees to wear flip-flops, is $60 for individual tickets or $800 for a corporate table of eight people. Tickets include complimentary parking, dinner and dancing. For more information or to reserve tickets, call 407-847-3260 or visit www.helpnowshelter.org.
• Bikers Against Domestic Violence motorcycle ride is Sunday, Oct. 24, at Osceola Heritage Park. Registration is from 8 to 10 a.m. There is a $20 donation requested. For more information, call 407-414-2473.
• And on Oct. 28, there is a candlelight vigil at the Kissimmee Police Department.
Carmen Vargas, the police department’s victim advocate said the purpose of the vigil is to build awareness about domestic violence, not only for the victims, but the community as well.
“Domestic violence is a learned behavior that affects everyone, similar to a domino effect,” Vargas said.
Domestic violence could include a number of abusive actions, including aggravated assault, battery, sexual abuse, emotional and psychological abuse, isolation (where the abuser possibly denies the victim access to family, finances and other resources), stalking, false imprisonment or kidnapping.
Kissimmee police get about four to six domestic violence calls a day, Vargas said.
“The status is high,” she added. “For the last three months, we have had approximately 60 to 70 reports.”
There were more than 116,000 cases of domestic violence in Florida last year with 208 ending in murder, Douglass said.
“It affects entire families and the community, she said.
The Help Now shelter is full most of the time. In fact, in the last couple of months, Help Now has been above capacity and had to get creative in making room for abuse victims and their families because its policy is to never turn anyone away, Douglass said.
“It’s definitely on the rise,” she added.
Douglass speculated the recent lagging economy that has caused many to lose their jobs may play a factor in the increasing cases because of the stress it can put on some.
On Friday, Help Now and the Osceola County Domestic Violence Task Force held a conference  on domestic violence. It involved religious leaders and a number of professionals, including family therapists and law enforcement officials, to develop local strategies to end domestic violence in Osceola County.
“It’s about community accountability,” Douglass said.
To contact the Help Now shelter or the 24-hour crisis line, call 407-847-8562. To contact the 24-hour sexual violence crisis line, call 407-847-4668.
 

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