The Domestic Violence program partners with community-based organizations to ensure the safety of victims of domestic violence through a seamless system of services.

The Domestic Violence program operates as the central clearinghouse for state and federal funding initiatives for the prevention and intervention of domestic violence.  The program's primary responsibilities are the administration and oversight of federal and state funding designated to assist Florida's certified domestic violence centers that provide domestic violence services, as well as providing technical support through the development of policy and practice to support domestic violence victims.  In addition, the program certifies, monitors, and funds the centers as authorized in s. 39.903, Florida Statutes. The program also promotes a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to advocacy and the criminal justice system's response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking crimes. Partners in this effort include the Office of the State Courts Administrator, the Office of the Attorney General, the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association and local State Attorney's offices, the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence, local law enforcement agencies, and community-based victim and legal service agencies.

Florida's 41 domestic violence centers provide crisis intervention and support services to adult victims of domestic violence and their children free of charge, 24 hours a day, 7-days a week.  Services provided by certified domestic violence centers are listed below.

• 24-hour crisis and information hotline
• Safety planning
• Counseling and case management
• Emergency shelter
• Child assessments
• Information and referrals
• Community education  

Many centers also provide legal and court advocacy, transportation, relocation assistance, economic empowerment classes, transitional housing, child care, outreach services, rape crisis intervention, and prevention programs in local schools.

The program serves adult victims of domestic violence and their children.

In Fiscal Year2021-22, 41 certified domestic violence centers answered 81,357 hotline calls and provided clients with the services listed below.

Services		Clients Served
Emergency Shelter		11,811
Safety Plans Completed		171,008
Outreach Services		38,630
Information and Referral		380,040
Counseling and Advocacy Hours		206,093
Source: Department of Children and Families.

The Domestic Violence program is funded as part of the Family Safety Program budget entity.

Florida Partnership to End Domestic Violence. In September 2022, the Florida Partnership to End Domestic Violence (FPEDV) was approved for federal designation as Florida's new domestic violence coalition. FPEDV works on key legislative initiatives, including criminal penalties for malicious disclosure of confidential DV shelter locations. As a coalition, FPEDV promotes quality, victim-centered services; advocates and educates on behalf of survivors; facilitates partnerships among victim advocates; and promotes system change and reform.

STOP Implementation Plan. The 2022 STOP Implementation Plan provides approaches to services and training for victim service providers to advance perpetrator accountability measures and survivor services, using trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices. Additionally, the plan ensures consistent communication with Florida's STOP Steering Committee through enhancing civil legal representation for survivors, increasing trauma-informed law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, training for multi-disciplinary stakeholders, and expanding services for survivors. STOP grants are awarded to states by the U.S. Office on Violence Against Women to enhance the capacity of local communities to develop and strengthen effective law enforcement and prosecution strategies to combat violent crimes against women and to develop and strengthen victim services in cases involving violent crimes against women. The state must allocate certain percentages of the grant funds to specified areas in the criminal justice system. For instance, 25% of grant funds must be allocated to law enforcement and prosecution, while 30% must be allocated to victim services.

Other Reports
Domestic Violence: Improved Data Needed to Identify the Prevalence of Brain Injuries among Victims, U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-20-534, June 2020
Sexual Violence Data: Actions Needed to Improve Clarity and Address Differences Across Federal Data Collection Efforts, U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-16-546, July 2016
The Auditor General reports on department operations are located on its website

Websites of Interest
Florida Partnership To Domestic Violence
Florida State Courts, Domestic Violence Program
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Family Violence Prevention and Services Program
U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime

Performance Information
Performance measures and standards for the department may be found in its Long Range Program Plan. Planning and Performance Measures report the department's performance on external and internal measures for its various programs. The measures allow the user to view performance at both a statewide and geographic region level.

Chapter 39 Part XII and s. 414.157, Florida Statutes

Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-500-1119
Website