Violencia Domestica y Abuso Infantil Equipo de Implentacion
Reunion Inaugural
Tuesday, May 24, 2005, 9 a.m.
Board of County Commission Chambers, Orange County
County Administration Center, 201 S Rosalind Ave., Orlando
Orlando, Fla. (May 20, 2005) – The Ninth Judicial Circuit Court's Domestic Violence/Child Abuse Commission will present its Final Report: Findings and Recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the 1st Floor Commission Chambers.
The Domestic Violence/Child Abuse Commission was created in June 2004 to study these crucial issues and find ways to take a more aggressive role in reducing the number of violent acts in our community. Though the Commission was forced to take a break during the last hurricane season, members resumed their work after the threat passed. Five workgroups, with members made up of community leaders and advocates, also met twice a month to discuss improvements and changes.
The Commission met monthly to discuss the various recommendations to determine priorities and weak spots in the current system. Circuit Judge Robert Evans and former State Legislator Mr. Dick Batchelor , president of Dick J. Batchelor Management Group, are co-chairs of the Commission. Members include judges, constitutional officers in the court system, law enforcement, victim advocates, non-profit organizations and community leaders.
“The Commission and its subgroups have worked very hard for this day to present its findings and recommendations to the Board of County Commission. Much work has gone into trying to find ways to improve the system and protect families,” said Circuit Judge Robert Evans . “Every person involved was committed to making a difference in the lives of every person in this community.”
The Commission has taken a “zero tolerance” policy in its work, and endeavors to provide services and interventions that will help battered men, women and children to lead lives free of fear and violence. The Commission's goal has been to break the cycle of abuse and provide innovative answers to the victimization that domestic violence breeds on a daily basis.
“The only way we knew to approach this mammoth undertaking was to use a zero tolerance approach in all the Commission's work, research and discussions,” Dick Batchelor said. “I am very proud of the dedication we had from so many people in the community on this project.”
Highlights from the Commission's 100-page report of Finding and Recommendations include: creating a domestic violence court, providing in-depth multidisciplinary and interagency training regarding domestic violence and child abuse, e xpanding short-term residential shelter beds and transitional housing for domestic violence victims, conducting and documenting a detailed business analysis of the information share needs between the criminal justice stakeholders and developing a comprehensive community-wide family violence education campaign. An Implementation Team will coordinate executing the Commission's recommendations.
Some facts on domestic violence in Orange County: there were more than 8,000 domestic violence arrests in 2002. Last year, there were 12 fatalities – 5 victims were children. It is estimated only one-seventh of all domestic-related assaults are reported to police. Each month, more than 200 domestic injunctions are filed at the Orange County Courthouse. National statistics are just as alarming: 1 in every 5 women in affected by domestic violence; 4.5 million assaults are committed against women, related costs are in the millions.
Members of the media are invited to attend the Board of County Commission meeting May 24 th for the Commission's presentation at 9 a.m. Tuesday. For more information, contact Susan Clary at 407-836-6348 or Karen Levey at 407-836-2047.