February 6, 2024

Local Domestic Violence Shelter Up and Running in Ocala

News

Local Domestic Violence Shelter Up and Running in Ocala

By Austin L. Miller

A new domestic violence shelter is now operating in Marion County.

In August, Creative Services, the group providing a safe haven for abuse victims for years, had no choice but to close its doors due to lack of funding. There were accusations of poor conditions at the facility. Creative Services officials denied those allegations.

Though a shelter was not available for a time, other entities stepped in to fill the gap until suitable arrangements could be made for some agency to take on the task permanently.

Enter CASA (Community Action Stops Abuse) of Pinellas County.

A new beginning

Lariana Forsythe, CEO of CASA, said in a phone interview that her organization has extended its certification to include Marion County. Last year, then-County Commission Chairman Craig Curry had reached out to CASA of Pinellas County for assistance.

Forsythe said a contract was signed in the last week of December, and now her agency is in place to provide services for those in Marion County affected by domestic violence. The CEO said an outreach center is expected soon.

Some figures provided by CASA Marion:

+ 1 in 3 women are victims of domestic violence

+ 1 in 4 men are victims of domestic violence

+ 1 in 15 children are exposed to domestic violence each year, with 90 percent of those children eyewitnesses to domestic violence

+ 7 in 10 domestic violence survivors said pets were targeted.

Domestic violence programs are accredited by the state’s Office of Domestic Violence, which is part of the state Department of Children and Families. To apply for funding, a local agency must demonstrate that it has provided domestic violence services for 18 months.

DCF had issued a request for certified centers to apply to provide services in Marion.

CASA Marion, the name of the new entity, can accommodate up to 24 persons. While there, men and women can receive emergency services and they will be connected to other agencies that can assist them. Its location is secret to protect domestic violence victims from their abusers.

The 24-hour domestic violence hotline in Marion is (352) 722-CASA or 2272.

According to its website, casamarion.org, the agency mission statement is: “Challenging the Societal Acceptance of all Forms of Domestic Violence, CASA Stands up to Silence through Advocacy, Prevention, Intervention, and Support Services.”

Its vision: “A Society Free from Domestic Violence.”

Click here to read the full article from Ocala StarBanner.