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Peaceful Paths urges wider recognition of domestic violence patterns, outlines services and shelter capacity
Summary
Peaceful Paths presented an overview of domestic/intimate partner violence, services offered in Gainesville and surrounding counties, and the barriers survivors face; commissioners discussed law-enforcement coordination and resource gaps.
Crystal Sorrow, chief executive officer of Peaceful Paths, told the City of Gainesville General Policy Committee that domestic violence is a pattern of power and control and more common than many residents realize.
Sorrow outlined the nonprofit’s services and capacity, saying, “Our mission is to save lives and create change,” and describing emergency shelter, a supportive housing campus, legal help for injunctions, trauma counseling and economic-empowerment programming.
She told commissioners the agency operates a walk-in outreach center Monday through Friday, and that all services are “free and confidential.” Sorrow said the organization’s typical emergency shelter stay is six to eight weeks and that its supportive housing offers stays up to a year for people with additional barriers. She also urged businesses and other institutions to post materials and to be “safe spaces” that can refer survivors to the Peaceful Paths helpline.
Commissioners asked about community partnerships and how the agency coordinates with law enforcement. Sorrow described a lethality-assessment protocol used when police respond to domestic calls: officers, she said, call the Peaceful Paths helpline so advocates can speak with survivors on-site and “immediately connect the survivor on-site with our services.” She added that research shows connection to a local domestic-violence center reduces risk of further violence.
Commissioner Book asked about other partners; Sorrow listed the Early Learning Coalition (for childcare vouchers), Family Promise, Grace, law enforcement, health-care providers and youth programs, and said Peaceful Paths serves Bradford and Union counties in addition to Gainesville/Alachua County.
Commissioner Engel and other commissioners praised the work and stressed outreach and funding needs. Sorrow said roughly 45 years of service and the agency’s five-decade presence in the community support a range of programs including a legal team focused on protections, economic-advocacy classes, and school- and workplace-based healthy-relationships education.
Ending: Commissioners thanked Peaceful Paths and encouraged residents and businesses to refer people to the local helpline and support the agency through donations or volunteer time.
