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It Isn’t Just Wrong, It’s A Crime! |
Since 1997, the
City of Melbourne Police Department has assigned a full-time detective to work with domestic violence issues. This position was
made possible through funding awarded by the Florida State
Stop Violence Against Women & Children Grant
program.
In 2001, the City received a
Victims of Crime Act Grant through the Office of the
Florida State Attorney General.
The grant provided for a victim advocate
and the Victims of Crime Act Grant still assists in
funding this position.
The Domestic
Violence Unit serves victims of domestic violence within the city
limits of Melbourne. Victims receive support in many ways,
including but not limited to assistance in filing injunction
applications and/or attendance at hearings, shelter referrals, and
assistance in obtaining needed services and filing crime
compensation claims.
Both the
detective and victim advocate are certified as victim services
practitioners thus ensuring victims receive only the best possible
service available.
The Melbourne
Police Department Domestic Violence Unit also utilizes volunteers as
office staff and as volunteer advocates. If you or someone you know
is interested in volunteering with the Melbourne Police Department
Domestic Violence Unit, please contact Detective Sandy Meyers by
calling 409-2249, by sending a fax to 409-2291, or by directing an e-mail
message to
smeyers@melbourneflorida.org
Additional
information is available from the publications listed below.
Each can be viewed or downloaded. You will need the free
Adobe Reader software to view the files, since they are in the
pdf format.
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What Is Domestic Violence? |
Under the
provisions of Florida Statute 741.28, domestic violence means
any assault, aggravated assault, battery, aggravated battery,
sexual assault, sexual battery, stalking, aggravated stalking,
kidnapping, false imprisonment or any criminal offense resulting
in physical injury or death of one family or household member by
another family or household member.
If you
are being physically or sexually abused, threatened, or stalked
by a family or household member, there is a law to protect you.
Family or household members means spouses, former spouses,
persons related by blood or marriage, persons who are presently
residing together as if a family or who have resided together in
the past as if a family, and persons who are parents of a child
in common regardless of whether they have been married. With
the exception of persons who have a child in common, the family
or household members must be currently residing or have in the
past resided together in the same single dwelling unit.
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Are You a Victim of Domestic Violence? |
If
you are a victim of domestic violence, or if you have reason to
believe that you may become a victim of any act of domestic
violence, you have the right to request that an Injunction
for Protection from Domestic Violence be issued. You may
file for an injunction at the Clerk of Courts office.
Representation by an attorney is not required and there are no
filing fees.
If
you are a victim of domestic violence, you may ask the State
Attorney to file a criminal complaint. You also have the right
to go to court and file a petition requesting an injunction for
protection from domestic violence which may include, but need
not be limited to provisions which:
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Restrain the abuser from further acts of abuse
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Direct the abuser to leave your household
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Prevent the abuser from entering your residence, school,
business, or place of employment
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Award you custody of your minor child or children
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Direct the abuser to pay support to you and the minor
children if the abuser has a
legal obligation to do so
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