Welcome!
Since 1992, the St. Louis Family Violence Council has served as the umbrella organization for over 45 member organizations devoted to the issues of family and domestic violence. FVC members include a broad range of social service agencies and service providers for prevention, intervention and treatment of adults and children who are victims of family violence.
Domestic Violence Intervention Partnership
The Domestic Violence Intervention Partnership (DVIP) program is designed to provide immediate crisis intervention, advocacy, safety planning and support to residents of St. Louis who are experiencing domestic violence. Crisis intervention is provided at the request of police officers following a domestic violence call. Victims and family members receive information and immediate crisis intervention. Batterers receive intervention designed to end their violent behavior.
The DVIP program was created in 1999 and is supported by Local Law Enforcement Block Grant Funds administered by the City of St. Louis Department of Safety, Neighborhood Stabilization Team. The City of St. Louis Family Violence Council is responsible for overseeing all components of the DVIP program.
Family Justice Center
Created through a $1.25 million grant from the Department of Justice, the St. Louis Family Justice Center opened in January, 2006. The Family Justice Center is a convenient and safe one-stop location for victims of domestic violence and their families. This client-focused concept is designed to ease the stress and confusion of obtaining comprehensive attention to problems of domestic violence.
Services on-site include medical, legal, counseling, shelter and related assistance. Improved accessibility to services and resources make the entire process of reporting a domestic violence or child abuse incident much less overwhelming for the families involved.
The Family Justice Center also helps improve the quality of police investigations and increase convictions of child and domestic violence perpetrators, as well as work to break the cycle of violence and reunite families whenever possible. The ultimate goal, like other centers in the nation, is to reduce the rate of family violence in the community.
Emergency Medical Assistance Fund
The Emergency Medical Assistance Fund provides financial help for individuals and families with emergency medical needs related to domestic violence.
Court Watch
This program of the Family Violence Council is designed to make the justice system as effective and responsive as possible in handling cases of domestic violence. Trained observers monitor courtrooms to evaluate whether victims of domestic violence are being treated fairly by the judicial system and conduct research to identify any problem patterns and issues within the court systems.
Court Watch holds the justice system accountable for its actions and strives to increase public awareness and public trust in the judicial system, which improves the administration of justice for victims of domestic violence and their families.
Community Education and Outreach
Creating awareness of family violence in the St. Louis community is a key step to breaking the cycle of abuse and eventually reducing its incidence in the community. Speakers are available |to educate civic and service organizations, schools, the media and others. For more information, call 314-241-0077.
St. Louis Family Violence Council Foundation
The purpose of the Foundation is to actively seek additional funding for the Family Violence Council and its programs and member organizations. A volunteer board works to increase private support for the collaborative work of the Family Violence Council. To volunteer or learn more, contact the Family Violence Council at 314-241-0077.