Domestic Violence Task Force

In order to one day realize our vision of a community without domestic violence, so that every home is a safe haven for the family it shelters, the dependence on post-violence intervention is not enough. Eliminating domestic violence requires social changes that make violent behavior an unacceptable part of any relationship. Social change is the process of changing the attitudes and beliefs that lead to specific behaviors. Imagine a place where every battered woman can find the support she needs from her coworkers, friends and neighbors, a place where no one excuses abusive behavior and everyone is committed to being a part of the solution. We can make this place a reality in our community.

Domestic violence is everyone’s business. Maybe you know someone who has faced domestic violence. Maybe you have experienced it yourself. Or maybe you think that domestic violence is simply wrong and you want to do something about it.

The Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancement and Leadership through Alliances (DELTA) Program is a federal program of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) focused on the primary prevention of intimate partner violence at the community level.  The DELTA program operates by providing funding, tools, training and technical assistance to 13 domestic violence state coalitions.  In 2002, The Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence (FCADV) began working with the CDC to implement this program in Florida.  In 2007, Governor Charlie Christ showed his support for this initiative by authorizing full funding for domestic violence primary prevention programs.

The Shelter formed a Primary Prevention Community Action Team in 2008. This team of synergistic community members has evolved into the communities Domestic Violence Task Force. Their work will heighten awareness and bring about the social change necessary to make sure that no one is ever a victim or perpetrator of domestic violence.  The task force is coordinated and led by The Shelter’s Director of Programs and is comprised of:

  • Aesthetic Surgery Center
  • Children’s Advocacy Center
  • Collier County EMS
  • Collier County Housing, Human & Veteran Services
  • Collier County Family Law Attorneys
  • Collier County Men of Character
  • Collier County Probation
  • Collier County School District
  • Collier County Sheriff’s Office
  • David Lawrence Center
  • Department of Children & Families
  • FGCU
  • Haitian Leadership Network
  • Legal Aid
  • Marco Island Police Department
  • Mother Perry Foundation
  • NAACP
  • Naples Community Hospital
  • Naples Police Department
  • North Naples Fire Department
  • Physicians Regional Healthcare System
  • Project Help
  • Office of Attorney General
  • State Attorney’s Office
  • The Youth Advisory Council
  • The Shelter for Abused Women & Children

This task force unites several components to create a comprehensive plan and coordinated community response for Collier County. They also identify key stakeholders to engage in the process, resulting in initiatives that change the attitudes, beliefs, and social norms that lead to violence in our community at all levels.

Striving for social change acknowledges that we cannot accept the world the way it is and expect that the problems and dangers will just go away. Together, the task force will identify the best ways to address our community response to domestic violence, and work in concert to change the social norms that allow this global problem to exist.