{"id":1048244,"date":"2026-09-07T05:16:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T05:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1048244\/"},"modified":"2026-09-07T05:16:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T05:16:00","slug":"advocates-explain-warning-signs-share-resources-after-recent-domestic-violence-cases-in-jacksonville","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1048244\/","title":{"rendered":"Advocates explain warning signs, share resources after recent domestic violence cases in Jacksonville"},"content":{"rendered":"

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. <\/strong> \u2013 Three recent domestic violence cases in Northeast Florida are raising difficult questions about what can be done before violence turns deadly \u2014 and what options survivors have when they are afraid to call police or are not ready to leave.<\/p>\n

In Jacksonville, advocates with Hubbard House say help does not have to begin with leaving an abusive relationship. It can begin with recognizing the danger, making a safety plan and understanding what resources are available.<\/p>\n

That work is also happening proactively through a Jacksonville program called INVEST \u2014 the Intimate Violence Enhanced Services Team.<\/p>\n

The program brings together Hubbard House advocates, specially trained Jacksonville Sheriff\u2019s Office officers and a City of Jacksonville representative to identify and intervene in potentially lethal domestic violence cases.<\/p>\n

3 recent cases<\/b><\/p>\n

The issue has taken on added urgency following several recent cases.<\/p>\n

In Bradford County, deputies say 42-year-old Stephanie Michelle Johnson shot and killed her live-in partner, 41-year-old David James Wroblewski, during an argument on Aug. 31. Johnson has been charged with second-degree murder.<\/p>\n

RELATED | Woman fatally shoots boyfriend after domestic argument in Bradford County home: BCSO<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

In Clay County, deputies arrested 38-year-old James Julian after investigators said he choked a woman from behind and pointed a firearm at her. He was arrested on charges including domestic battery by strangulation and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.<\/p>\n

RELATED |Clay County man arrested after domestic violence call<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

And in Jacksonville, 22-year-old Asia Bennett was fatally shot by a JSO officer on Aug. 11 after police responded to a domestic violence call.<\/p>\n

\"\"Asia Bennett, 22, was killed in an officer-involved shooting in Arlington (WJXT)<\/p>\n

JSO says Bennett came outside carrying a knife and advanced toward officers. The agency released body-camera footage of the encounter Aug. 26. Bennett\u2019s family and attorney, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, have disputed aspects of the police account.<\/p>\n

RELATED \u2018Worse than we thought\u2019: Ben Crump rebukes JSO officer seen on body-cam shooting woman holding knife<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

The cases are different, but they underscore the importance of recognizing when a domestic violence situation may be becoming especially dangerous.<\/p>\n

Spotting cases most likely to turn deadly<\/b><\/p>\n

According to Hubbard House CEO Dr. Gail Patin, INVEST has operated in Jacksonville since 2000.<\/p>\n

The program was created after city leaders, law enforcement and community members began looking for ways to address domestic violence homicides.<\/p>\n

Unlike a traditional system in which a survivor has to contact an agency for help, INVEST reviews domestic violence police reports and looks for indicators of high lethality.<\/p>\n

Patin said the team looks for warning signs including the use of a weapon, strangulation, threats to kill a survivor, threats against children or pets, threats of suicide and repeated domestic violence calls involving the same family.<\/p>\n

Hubbard House says INVEST reviewed nearly 7,000 domestic violence reports from July 2024 through June 2025 and identified nearly 700 survivors in highly lethal situations.<\/p>\n

When a case is identified as especially dangerous, advocates reach out to the survivor rather than waiting for that person to ask for help.<\/p>\n

Patin said that outreach can include explaining the danger identified in the police report, offering safety planning and connecting survivors with available services.<\/p>\n

What if you\u2019re afraid to call police?<\/b><\/p>\n

For some survivors, calling law enforcement may not feel safe or may not feel like an option.<\/p>\n

Patin said Hubbard House can provide another starting point.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes people come into shelter if they\u2019re afraid of the police,\u201d Patin said. \u201cThey might come into shelter to hide for a while so that they can get access to what services might be available.\u201d<\/p>\n

Survivors do not necessarily have to enter a shelter to get help.<\/p>\n

Hubbard House also offers advocates who can help survivors safety-plan, understand their options and connect with other resources. The organization says its hotline and textline provide free, confidential support 24 hours a day.<\/p>\n

Patin said advocates can also connect survivors with attorneys who help people seek injunctions for protection, commonly known as restraining orders.<\/p>\n

Avoid couples counseling in abusive relationships<\/b><\/p>\n

One part of Patin\u2019s interview that may be especially important for survivors involves something that can sound like an obvious solution: couples counseling.<\/p>\n

Patin said couples counseling is not considered safe or appropriate when one partner is abusing the other.<\/p>\n

She explained that if a survivor tells the truth about what is happening at home during counseling, they could face retaliation once they return home.<\/p>\n

But if the survivor is too afraid to speak honestly, the counseling cannot address the abuse.<\/p>\n

Patin emphasized that domestic violence is not a problem that both partners are equally responsible for solving.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe issue and the responsibility with abuse falls solely on the abuser\u2019s shoulders,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s not a couple\u2019s problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

Florida law also changed this year<\/b><\/p>\n

Florida lawmakers also approved new protections for domestic violence survivors in 2026.<\/p>\n

House Bill 277, which took effect July 1, increased penalties for certain repeat domestic violence offenses and made changes involving domestic violence injunctions. The law also increased relocation assistance for eligible victims from $1,500 to $2,500 per claim, with the lifetime maximum increasing from $3,000 to $5,000.<\/p>\n

The law is part of a broader effort to strengthen protections for people trying to escape abusive situations.<\/p>\n

Help is available 24\/7<\/b><\/p>\n

Patin said survivors do not have to wait until they are ready to leave to reach out.<\/p>\n

Hubbard House\u2019s 24-hour hotline is 904-354-3114<\/b>.<\/p>\n

Its 24-hour textline is 904-210-3698<\/b>.<\/p>\n

Hubbard House says people contacting the hotline can speak with a trained advocate about safety, shelter and other options, and they do not have to provide their name or information they are not ready to share.<\/p>\n

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.<\/p>\n

The first step does not always have to be leaving. For someone experiencing domestic violence, it can simply be learning what options exist \u2014 and making a plan before the next crisis.<\/p>\n

If you or someone you know is or has been a victim of domestic violence or abuse, here\u2019s a list of other resources available:<\/p>\n