This is a press release from the Attorney General’s office.
Attorney General Bill McCollum on Thursday announced the expansion of a program to address rising numbers of fatal domestic violence cases in Florida.
The Intimate Violence Enhanced Services Team (InVest) program is specially designed to provide intensive prevention and protection services to domestic abuse victims identified as at high risk for fatal attacks. Co-sponsored by the Attorney General’s Office and the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence (FCADV) and funded by the Victims of Crime Act through the Attorney General’s Office, the program will now open six new county locations.
“I am proud to promote this program, which has and will continue to save lives,” said Attorney General McCollum. “The InVest model has already proven a successful example of the power of cooperation and victims of domestic violence will be better served by these additional resources.”
InVest was modeled after a successful program to address this crisis in the City of Jacksonville. The Duval program had been responsible for a 30 percent decrease in the first year in domestic violence homicides and an average 46 percent decrease over seven years. The program was expanded last year to locations in Alachua, Duval, Orange, St. Lucie and Seminole counties and will now also be located in Broward, Collier, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota and Suwannee counties.
“We applaud Attorney General McCollum’s leadership is reducing domestic violence homicides in Florida. There has been an increase in domestic violence homicides in Florida, and FCADV is thrilled that our top law enforcement officer in the state is leading the charge to attack this problem,” said Tiffany Carr, President and CEO of the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
In each of the participating counties, InVest’s coordinated response teams comprised of law enforcement, domestic violence advocates and other community partners are reviewing and identifying cases with high likelihood of fatalities. The teams make contact with the victims; refer the victims and any children to safe and useful services; and make personal contact with abusers to ensure the abuser knows he or she is being closely monitored by law enforcement.
Since its expansion last year, the InVest program has reviewed hundreds of domestic violence cases and has provided services to over 265 survivors of domestic violence who are at risk for being murdered by their batterer.
More than 1325 hours of counseling have already been provided and 118 InVest participants received relocation services in one fiscal year.
Assistance and referrals for victims of domestic abuse can be reached 24 hours a day statewide by calling the toll-free Domestic Abuse Hotline at 1-800-500-1119
