Manatee County Clerk’s Office recognizes Domestic Violence Awareness Month this October

Each year thousands of women, men, and children in Florida are impacted by domestic violence. Through the month of October, the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller's Office observes National Domestic Violence Awareness Month by giving heighten awareness of the services we provide to help protect the individuals affected by domestic violence issues.     

Our office provides critical public services to help those facing domestic violence, including processing domestic violence injunctions, better known as restraining orders, at no cost to the filer. Over the last fiscal year, which ended September 30, 2021, we received and processed close to 1,000 injunction applications.

An injunction, sometimes called a restraining order, is a court order which tells someone to do or not do something. An Injunction for Protection against Violence is signed by a judge and can be enforced by law enforcement or the courts. In Florida, Injunctions for Protection are governed by Florida Statutes Sections 741.30 and 784.046.

We provide several injunction packets that include domestic violence, repeat violence, dating violence, sexual violence, and stalking. 

In addition to processing and filing injunctions, our office partners with HOPE Family Services, the Rape Crisis Center provided by Centerstone, and the Manatee County Sheriff's Office Victim's Advocate Unit to provide additional services and information to customers in need.

I urge anyone who needs assistance with a domestic violence injunction to contact our office so we can provide guidance and help process your application. The safety of individuals seeking protection from domestic violence will always be a top priority not just for our office but all Clerks of Court throughout Florida.

If you believe you or someone you love is a victim of domestic violence or have a reasonable fear that violence is imminent, it is vital to know the steps you can take for you or your loved one's safety:

• If you are in immediate danger, call 9-1-1 for assistance from law enforcement.
• Visit our office to start the process of filing for an injunction.
• Call the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-500-1119 for support, advocacy, and assistance to find a shelter.

Visit our website at https://bit.ly/ViolenceProtection to learn more about the services we provide and links to additional resources.