6 paths Florida's public security system makes domestic violence sacrificed susceptible

When a Clearwater Hospital was murdered by her ex-boyfriend after she had repeatedly sought help with the police, the Tampa Bay Times set off to understand what was wrong.

What turned out to be an example of how Florida's public security system – through vague protocols and inadequate training – cannot pass the victim of domestic violence, even if individual civil servants try to help. This applies in particular to victims of non -physical violence such as stalking.

In order to identify gaps that keep the victims in the way, even if they turn to protect themselves, times spent more than a year with studying the system. This included the review of hundreds of police records and guidelines for the department, research studies and state laws on domestic violence. More than 30 experts were interviewed, including sources in law enforcement authorities, training teachers and operators of the resource center for domestic violence.

We found the following.

1. There is more of domestic violence than physical abuse, but that is often overlooked.

Law enforcement officers often rely on physical violence to make arrests or act urgently to help victims. But according to experts, that alone is not a good measure of danger.

In an analysis of around 430 murders for intimate partners over a decade in Florida, the lawyer and sociologist Donna King found that in four out of five murders there were no previous police reports on physical violence.

What was in front of it in many cases were threats, coercion and stalking.

2. The authorities miss warning signs for murder if non -physical violence is minimized.

Florida's law takes into account that the persecution of houses that has recently been pursued by domestic violence is pursued. But the police and the courts don't always treat it that way. In contrast to the most physical abuse, stalking can fly under the radar.

In order to arrange someone in Florida, it must be determined that several willful and malicious nuisance, cyberstalking or the following actions have occurred.

It could look like threatening texts or repeating an ex repeatedly past the office of a victim. But it could also look like leaving a bottle of vodka on the veranda of someone in recovery – a more personal act that creates terror.

Taken separately, these events can appear trivial. However, the law enforcement agencies must identify the larger abuse pattern and hear the fears of the victims, said TK Logan, professor at the University of Kentucky, who studied for two decades.

Almost four out of five victims killed by current or former partners were followed in the previous year, a study said.

3. The sparse training on domestic violence is at risk of both victims and the police.

If a person chooses 911, they are already vulnerable. However, the training requirements in Florida do little to ensure that the responding officials are well prepared to control the complexity.

Florida's law requires the officials to complete six -hour training of domestic violence in order to be certified – a fraction of the mandate in some other countries such as Arkansas (20 hours) and Missouri (30 hours).

In order to remain certified, the officials only have to complete a renewed execution every four years. This training-62 foils and a 10-question quiz is anything but comprehensive. For example, it does not define stalking, contains descriptions of stalking behavior or mentioned factors that expose the victims a higher risk. This includes alcohol abuse, the presence of firearms and the recent end of a relationship.

We ended the training and quiz in 23 minutes and achieved 100%.

“It is just not enough,” said Mark Wynn, a long-standing law enforcement officer who advises himself on gender-specific violence for the US Ministry of Justice. “As the trauma does not understand, interpersonal violence is not understood, this is a good way to be able to hurt people.”

This includes the responding civil servants.

A DOJ report in which the analyzed officer between 2010 and 2016 were the deaths for domestic disputes or domestic incidents related to domestic incidents for the police.

4. The victims of specialized help is critical, but the guidelines that lead the police are not sufficient.

It is unrealistic to expect individual police officers to advise victims of the nuances of a situation of domestic violence. Instead, a civil servant's task is to safely separate the victims of perpetrators, to recognize abuse patterns and to make arrests.

For civil servants, it is also crucial to combine victims with specialists who can help.

Florida houses more than 40 certified resource centers for domestic violence, which are occupied by experts who have been trained to help with the submission of legal documents, the creation of a security plan and the search for emergency shelters. But they are useful if a victim does not know that it exists.

Florida's law stipulates that civil servants who react to situations for domestic violence combine victims with these resources. Nevertheless, it no longer hears how this should happen.

And for victims of domestic violence that stalking that requires repeated actions, is often held back until several reports have been submitted, which delays access to potentially life -saving guidelines.

For Audrey Petersen, the Clearwater nurse killed by her ex, she took three calls to the police before the officials gave her the victim's rights. As a 17-page expression with general information for victims of all crimes, it contained figures for hotlines for domestic violence and “abuse accommodation from spouses”-outdated terminology for modern resource centers on page 15.

According to experts, a person in the crisis that they search pages with little instructions with non -related information is. To help, some departments use simplified cards in palm size with telephone numbers and tips that are specific for domestic violence. But there is little standardization. A victim who asks for help in Tampa, for example, can receive different instructions and support than a victim who made a similar call in Miami.

5. The police often direct victims to apply for interim commands, but it can be difficult and dangerous.

In Florida, the police are supposed to notify domestic violence victims of their right to apply for an injunction, essentially an injunction. These can give the police clear reasons to make arrests.

But getting an injunction is not easy. A victim must describe his experiences in writing. Then a judge must measure the legal criteria defined by the state. This can be a challenge for the average person that is not familiar with the legally defined standards.

If you only apply for an injunction, misuse can be inflamed: “Like a bull with a red flag,” said Kristina Lawrence, who heads a team of lawyers for collabared violence in Florida.

For this reason, it is important that the victims are associated with lawyers and lawyers who can help them make decisions for their security.

There are different types of systems. Some victims may apply for a more general injunction for domestic violence. Audrey Petersen applied for stalking, without knowing that this can be a more difficult way in Florida due to cloudy definitions and complicated case law.

A Times data analysis showed that in the past six years, most petents in the courts of Pinellas have not protected six out of 10 of them before a hearing. This can mean that people are mixed in court by the police, even if their petitions are likely to be rejected.

6. The responsibility falls sacrificing to document your own experiences.

With an imperfect system, it is important that a person who is able to document their own experience if they can safely do this. Victims are often their best evidence.

Creating schedules that present a abuse pattern and record photo and video evidence can help to complement the police reports.

According to lawyers, the burden falls on the victims in order to continue to strive for protection and hear their fears. It shouldn't have to be that way, explained experts, but they were inevitably realistic about the assertion and overloaded system. In the end, they said, victims can take care of themselves.

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Get help in Tampa Bay

Pinellas County:

Casa (Community Action Stops Abuse) can be achieved in its 24-hour hotline under 727-895-4912 and via an online chat function at casapinellas.org. Walk-ins are in the Family Justice Center in the 1011 1st Ave. N Welcome in St. Petersburg.

Hillsborough County:

The source of Tampa Bay can be reached in its 24-hour hotline under 813-247-7233 and at Thespring.org.

Pasco County:

Sunrise of Pasco County can be reached in his 24-hour hotline under 888-668-7273 or 352-521-3120 and at Sunrisepasco.org.

If you are in direct danger, call 911.