Resources

Food & Housing

Lake Wales Care Center Transitional Housing

Phone: (863) 676-6678

Address: 140 Est Park Avenue, Lake Wales, FL 33853

The Lake Wales Care Center offers emergency services, transitional housing, medical care, food assistance. For more information visit www.lakewalescarecenter.org.

Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence Defined

Domestic violence is the assertion of abuse with the intent of gaining control or power. WEAVE, a California service for domestic violence intervention, classifies domestic violence into five categories; physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse, or spiritual abuse.

Types of Domestic Abuse

Physical abuse. The use of physical force used in order to inflict pain or injury. Examples of physical abuse are pushing, hitting, choking, or threatening with a weapon.

Sexual abuse. Forcing or coercing one to engage in unwanted sexual acts. These acts can range from unwanted touching to rape. Sexual abuse also involves threating someone to perform sexual acts, restricting access to birth control, and using sexual insults to mean an individual.

Emotional abuse. Emotional abuse can be both verbal and non-verbal. Verbal emotional abuse is the act of repeatedly criticizing, intimidating, belittling, gas-lighting, and manipulating an individual. Non-verbal abuse (or coercive control) is the assertion of control or the demeaning of an individual in order to make decisions on their behalf.

Financial abuse. The theft or withholding of an individuals money, or the use of an individuals personal information to accrue debt.

Spiritual abuse. Also referred to as religious abuse, involves the prohibition of ones freedom to practice their moral or religious beliefs.

If you or someone you know are experiencing any form of abuse, seek help immediately. Please refer to the following resources for assistance.

Peace River Domestic Violence Center

Shelter Service

Peace River Domestic Violence Shelter provides the following free and confidential services: intake assessments, domestic violence shelter, crisis intervention, safety planning, outreach services, and support groups.

Lakeland 24-hour crisis line: (863) 413-2700

Sebring, Hardee, and Highlands county 24-hour crisis line: (863) 386-1167

Collect calls accepted.

Outreach Service

Peace River Outreach provides the following services: safety planning, information and referrals, counseling, and court accompaniment upon request.

Phone: (863) 534-4350

Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence

The Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence refers calls to local domestic violence centers and provides crisis counseling. For more information visit www.fcadv.org.

Sexual Abuse

Florida Council Against Sexual Abuse

Sexual Violence Hotline: 1-888-956-7273

The Florida Council Against Sexual Violence is a statewide non-profit providing technical assistance to agencies that provide services for victims of rape, as well as up-to-date information for the public. The information line provides access information from a library of resources or network of national resources. FCASV services cover victims of rape, child abuse, stalking, and sexual harassment. For more information visit www.fcasv.org.

Peace River Rape Recovery and Resource Center

24-hour crisis line: (863) 413-2707

Toll-free: (877) 688-5077

Highlands County

24-hour crisis line: (863) 386-1169

Peace River provides free and confidential crisis intervention services to sexual assault survivors and their significant others. Services include 24-hour crisis intervention, advocacy, therapy (only available in Lakeland office), and weekly support groups. The Polk County Health Department also provides on-site forensic exams and trainings for the public.

One More Child (Florida Baptist Children’s Home)

Phone: (863) 687-8811

One More Child offers shelter and rehabilitation for young female victims of sex trafficking.