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ON MOTION BY COMMISSIONER SIEBERT, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LOY, THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED OUT -OF -COUNTY TRAVEL FOR S. LEE NuzIE, CIVIL DEFENSE DIRECTOR ON JULY 19, 1979 TO ATTEND A DISASTER COORDINATOR'S SESSION AT WILDWOOD. THE BOARD NEXT TOOK UP A REQUEST FROM DIANE M. ZIMBEROFF AND JIM PERRY REGARDING A SHELTER FOR BATTERED SPOUSES, AS PER THE FOLLOW- ING LETTER: Mental Health Association of Indian River County P. O. Box 427 - VERO BEACH, FLORIDA 32960 305-562-5713 July 5, 1979 Indian River County Courthouse Board of County Cacrmissioners Vero Beach, Fla. 32960 Dear Commissioners: Our intention is to establish a shelter for battered spouses and their children who choose to be removed from a potentially or actually dangerous situation. Our main goal is to break the cycle of spouse abuse which begins with a young child watching one of his parents being beaten, and by often, actually being beaten himself. This pattern is learned and the child grows up, marries and does the same in his family. Statistics show that 86% of men who beat their wives, were themselves beaten as children. Forty-five percent of the assaults on mothers are accompanied by similiar physical as- saults on children ift the household. The remaining 557. of the children if not themselves beaten, were terrorized by watching the mother being, beaten. FBI statistics show that one fourth of all murders occur within the.family and there are approximately six (6) million cases of spouse abuse presently with the number growing each year. Locally statistics are just beginning to be kept. For the six month period of January 1979 to June 1979, there have been 221 cases of family disturbance where the Sheriff's Department has been called in (This does not include city police figures). Seventy of these cases involved physical violence, 23 of which caused serious physical. harn to one member. The FBI states that only one out of every ten cases, are ever reported so in reality there are many more cases in existance. We estimate that 20-30 of these cases are appropriate for our proposed shelter. lie also anticipate that through connunity education, and the availability of a shelter even more of these cases will be brought to our attention. The Mental Health Association of Indian River County has initiated this program, due to the need which has come to our attention through Crisis -Line and the Sheriff's Department. The Mental Health Association will have one representatives on the Board of Spouse Abuse of Indian River County Inc. which will be responsible for the implementation of the Ti FAA Grant and the Spouse Abuse Program. she funds will be administered through Mr. Jeff Barton, Financial Officer, for Indian River County. J U L i 1919 BOOK 1 PAGE 17 3