By: Peyton Kennedy, WKRN
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Since opening five years ago, Nashville’s Family Safety Center (FSC) on Murfreesboro Pike has facilitated over 55,000 in-person and remote visits for over 7,500 clients who have experienced interpersonal violence. It is the largest family comprehensive justice center in the nation.
Diane Lance, director of Metro’s Office of Family Safety, said addressing domestic violence is key to improving to city’s overall safety.
“Domestic violence accounts for 48% of all violent crime in the city, so when you’re looking at making a city safer, domestic violence is an excellent place to start,” said Lance.
When Metro police are called to a domestic violence situation, Lance said they run a lethality assessment to predict the victim’s risk of serious injuries or death. Lance noted 45% of Metro’s domestic violence victims come back high-risk and are immediately connected to the appropriate hotline and resources.
The FSC said strangulation and gun violence are the top two physical danger risks for victims, with over 52% of Metro’s victims saying they have experienced situations of strangulation.
At the FSC’s five year anniversary event, Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell noted the importance of ensuring people who have committed acts of domestic violence, do not have access to a firearm.
The FSC also works with survivors of sexual assault, human trafficking, and abuse. Lance said as more people learn about the free and confidential resources, the more residents they serve.
“Since we opened this building five years ago, what we’ve really seen is the effect of, ‘if you build it, they will come’,” said Lance.
There are some logistical challenges that come with the demand.
The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) said their Family Intervention Program at the FSC currently has about 100 people on the waitlist.
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