ORLANDO, FL – Domestic Violence is a pattern of coercive behavior in which one partner attempts to control the other through threats of physical, sexual, verbal, financial, or psychological abuse. This controlling behavior may occur during the relationship or after one partner has attempted to end the relationship. Domestic Violence includes behaviors that physically harm, arouse fear, prevent a partner from doing what they wish or forcing them to do something they do not want to do. Domestic Violence occurs across all relationships, regardless of race, gender/sexual identity, age, education, religion, or economic status.

• Although domestic violence survivors include both women and men, as well as children, 85% of survivors who request assistance are female.
• LGBTQIA domestic violence is vastly underreported, unacknowledged, and often reported as something other than domestic violence.
• 1 in 15 children are exposed to and will witness domestic violence, which impacts them for the rest of their lives.
• Domestic Violence accounts for 15% of violent crime in the United States and over 40% of 911 calls on night shifts across the country.
• According to the FBI, 40% of female and 20% of male homicides result from domestic violence.
• 72% of murder/suicides involve intimate partners and 94% of the murder victims are female.
• Black women are disproportionately impacted by lethal domestic violence and are murdered by men at nearly three times the rate as White women.
• The Florida Attorney General Statewide Fatality Review Team identified nearly 70% of those that killed their partner had a known prior domestic violence history with the decedent.
• 82% of family members and/or friends of those killed in a domestic violence homicide reported knowing about prior incidents of domestic violence by the perpetrator toward the decedent.

During the month of October, the Office of the State Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit is sponsoring a social media campaign to increase awareness of domestic violence in our circuit. The goal is to educate our community about healthy relationships and unhealthy/abusive ones, as well as to connect community members to resources that provide information for victims, for families and for those wishing to become engaged in the work to end partner violence. All Floridians deserve to be safe in their homes and communities. The current COVID-19 pandemic health crisis has led to further isolation and increased risks of harm for victims in all communities and particularly, across our circuit.

Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month is a time to remind all victims, survivors and those impacted by domestic violence, that the Office of the State Attorney stands with you and continues to send the message that you are not alone. October is also a time to recognize that all of us in the Ninth Judicial Circuit have a role to play in ending domestic violence in our homes, families, communities and the state.

Everyone can offer a helping hand, words of support and kindness, and a commitment to no longer tolerate abuse that we see or know about. Together, we can end domestic violence in Orange and Osceola Counties.
We thank all of the dedicated advocates, shelters, crisis lines and service programs who have been available to provide safety, kindness, and support during this especially difficult time.

If you or a loved one are a victim of domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential assistance from trained advocates.