Domestic violence affects so many households and families all over the United States and previous First Lady of Florida Columba Bush has recently spoken up about the victims’ struggles and the centers offering help for those victims. As it is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Bush and her husband are joining the cause and using the appropriate time to announce their new foundation, the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence Foundation. The FCADV Foundation will be having an event later this week to introduce the foundation and its efforts.
Florida’s domestic violence totals from 2011 are more than just numbers: Bush explains that they are “a face, a name, and a story riddled with fear and oftentimes ending in tragedy.” The total amount of reported times of domestic violence from last year comes to 111,681, with the amount of fatalities due to domestic violence coming to 192. The victims who were murdered include men, women and children – not just one group.
Domestic violence happens every day and it’s important to understand that a victim could be anyone, from any background, at any time. The amount of money the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control spent on health services for the battered and victims of domestic abuse reportedly went over their annual figure of $5.8 billion. Bush explains that domestic violence is a matter that impacts households, families, workplaces and healthcare. It’s something that our communities are affected by whether we know it or not.
Florida residents who have known a victim of domestic violence or who have been a victim themselves would do well to get in touch with legal counsel and understand their options. Looking into the laws surrounding domestic violence can help them to know how to proceed and maybe even move forward from such a situation. Bush urges Florida families to open up a discussion about healthy relationships and what to do in abusive situations. The event FCADV Foundation will be this Friday.
Source: The Miami Herald, “Open the door to hope for domestic-violence victims,” Columba Bush, Oct. 14, 2012