Brevard County Takes Action to Prevent Domestic Violence

Wesh.com – Orlando – Sheriff and state attorney aim to improve prosecution of violent suspects
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. —Law enforcement in Brevard County is trying to do something new to help the 10,000 victims of domestic violence in the county every year.
The sheriff and state attorney want to aid victims while improving the prosecution of violence suspects.
Domestic violence charges are very common in Brevard County. The county averages about seven new inmates per day, jailed on domestic violence-related offenses.
Police said Ryan Phillips threatened to strangle his girlfriend and then slapped her.  Terrified, the woman waited until he fell asleep, grabbed all her belongings and got out.
“If you’re leaving with the clothes on your back, and you have children and you don’t know where you’re going to go, how you’re going to live, you’re going to feed them, that’s a terrifying experience to be put in,” said Jennifer Guarino, a counselor in Melbourne.
The Women’s Center in Brevard County sees about 10,000 domestic violence victims per year.
On Friday,the Brevard County sheriff and state attorney introduced a new effort to target domestic violence by strangulation.
They said most strangulation attempts don’t show the same visible signs as other forms of battery.  Now, nurses will be specially trained to see signs of strangulation.  Victims will receive targeted strangulation exams.  Education will target potential victims to help preserve strangulation evidence.
Prosecutors said these measures will make it easier to convict offenders and send them to jail for longer terms.
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