AIR DATE OCTOBER 14, 2021

Title:  Domestic Violence Awareness

In this episode of Emily Tells All, learn what you need to know about the signs of domestic violence and the available resources for help. Emily dives deep with experts to make sure everyone is aware of the signs.

Guests and Locations

Ninth Judicial Circuit Court, Circuit Judge – Judge Alice Blackwell

Stand Up Survivor, Executive Director – Lisa Alexander

Domestic Violence Awareness

Domestic violence is complex and presents itself in many ways. That’s why raising awareness and spreading information- such as available resources for support- is critical. I sat down with Judge Alice Blackwell (Circuit Judge) and Lisa Alexander (Stand Up Survivor, Executive Director) to learn more.

Know Your Legal Rights

A potentially difficult part of domestic violence is knowing what legal actions to take to gain protection from abusive partners. Alice Blackwell, Ninth Circuit Judge and Co-chair of Orange County’s Domestic Violence Commission, discusses how domestic issues work in the court system. According to Alice, there are two different ways someone can enter the court system under domestic violence.

“One is through this criminal court system- if there’s an arrest made- when someone becomes the victim of domestic violence. And that goes through a criminal process where the perpetrator is prosecuted for a crime, either a misdemeanor or felony. The other way is through a civil process, where someone who believes that they are the victim of domestic violence can voluntarily come to the courthouse and say, ‘I need an order to keep my abuser away from me.’”

If you find yourself in the latter situation, you can come to the courthouse and ask for an injunction. This means your abuser would be required to leave your home immediately when the sheriff serves their paperwork. Then, a hearing occurs within two weeks to decide if the injunction should remain in place.

But the court system isn’t the only legal resource for domestic violence cases. “There’s a Certified Domestic Violence Center in Orange County. We only have one, and that’s Harbor House of Central Florida. And they do a great deal of victim advocacy for victims. They actually have an office in the Orange County courthouse,” explains Alice.

Harbor House is located on the fourth floor of the courthouse. Their advocates help connect victims with lawyers and provide any legal help needed. They also focus on the housing needs of domestic violence survivors.

Among other resources is the Zebra Coalition that works with young adults, Nuevo Sendero that works with Spanish-speaking individuals, and Stand Up Survivor that works with domestic abuse survivors.

Stand Up Survivor

Stand Up Survivor is a non-profit organization based in Orlando, FL, that spreads domestic violence awareness and assists survivors in finding safety. Lisa Alexander, the founder of the organization, shares information about her program and how to help domestic violence victims.

“There’s so many different parts of domestic violence that people don’t know and don’t understand. And oftentimes, they’re overlooked or seen as just issues in a relationship, and they’re way more than that. So, the education part of what we do is very, very important,” explains Lisa.

Maybe you’re experiencing physical abuse, financial abuse, spiritual abuse, or sexual abuse. Or perhaps you have a gut feeling that something isn’t right, but you lack the definitions to describe what’s happening. That’s where Stand Up Survivor comes in to help.

“We’re here- our hotline is 24/7. We answered those questions. We answer those phone calls. And our social media is full of content and information and research and knowledge that can say, ‘Hey, that might be me. That may not be me.’ So, they can find us on social media @Stand Up Survivor on Instagram, they can find us on our website. They can give us a call. They can inbox us. They can email us,” says Lisa.

Check out Stand Up Survivor on Instagram to learn the signs and receive domestic violence support.