Driving out domestic violence

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Law enforcement dedicates two vehicles for awareness

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  • Photo/Osceola County Sheriff's Office. The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office unveiled its purple Ford Explorer at a ceremony last week. It includes the number of the Help Now of Osceola 24-hour crisis hotline.
    Photo/Osceola County Sheriff's Office. The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office unveiled its purple Ford Explorer at a ceremony last week. It includes the number of the Help Now of Osceola 24-hour crisis hotline.
  • Photo/Kissimmee Police Department. The Ford Taurus that the Kissimmee Police Department rolled out says “Domestic Violence Awareness” and displays a purple ribbon.
    Photo/Kissimmee Police Department. The Ford Taurus that the Kissimmee Police Department rolled out says “Domestic Violence Awareness” and displays a purple ribbon.
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Two domestic violence awareness vehicles have hit the streets of Osceola County.
They come in the wake of at least six domestic violence-related murders in Osceola in the past six months, the most recent being the murder of a mother and her three children at the hands of their father.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office unveiled its purple Ford Explorer at a ceremony last week. It includes the number of the Help Now of Osceola 24-hour crisis hotline, 407 847 8562.
The Ford Taurus that the Kissimmee Police Department rolled out says “Domestic Violence Awareness” and displays a purple ribbon.
Domestic violence awareness is represented by the color purple and the month of October is dedicated to the cause.  
“Over the years of speaking with domestic violence victims, we often hear them say they felt trapped,” Sheriff Russ Gibson said during the vehicle unveiling at the Sheriff’s Office Administration building. “It takes a community to get out there and make a difference. If you can get to know your neighbors and get to understand their normal patterns with some friendly gestures, you may be in a position to see something that’s out of the ordinary when somebody just might  need a helping hand.” Simply asking if someone is OK can make all the difference, he said. “That simple thing lets them know that you care about them in a moment when they may think they’re life is hopeless and doesn’t have meaning,” Gibson said. “Your Sheriff’s Office, your community leaders, along with great organizations such as Help Now, are committed to eradicating domestic violence.”
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate partner violence. An abuser’s access to a firearm increases the risk of a woman’s chance of being murdered by her partner by 400 percent.
Domestic violence is prevalent in every community and affects people regardless of age, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality.
Physical violence is often accompanied by emotionally abusive and controlling behavior, the devastating consequences of which can cross generations and last a lifetime.
“It’s really clear that this community has been coming together for domestic violence awareness and standing together,” said Help Now Executive Director Tammy Douglas.
“The more we do awareness campaigns, the more people are willing to talk about domestic violence, come forward and get help. It puts the message out there that we’re standing up for survivors and saying no more,” Douglas said.
How can domestic violence be prevented?
“Primary prevention programs are a good starting point,” Douglas said.
The primary prevention approach seeks to stop youth from ever becoming victims or perpetrators of domestic violence by giving them the skills and knowledge to build healthy relationships. The Sheriff’s Office vehicle was funded through betterment grants from Osceola County Commissioners Viviana Janer, Cheryl Grieb and Fred Hawkins. KPD’s car was funded by the City Commission.
The support from local leaders also is critical to stemming the scourge of domestic violence, Douglas said.
“It’s about holding batterers accountable from an institutional standpoint, across the board,” she said. When we take domestic violence seriously and hold batterers accountable for abuse, that’s when we’ll see it diminish,” she said.