Caught on Camera: Alligator surprises Fort Myers couple at their doorstepBilly Joel special will air again after the abrupt cut-off on CBS
The Collier County Sheriff’s Office partners with businesses and individuals to be their eyes and ears in the community. One Naples man learned how to spot the signs of domestic abuse, then used his bike to spread that message from Naples to Washington, D.C. Colin Estrem not only speaks out against domestic violence; he and two other Collier County men embarked on a more than one thousand-mile mission for the Shelter for Abused Women and Children. “The three of us have never trained on a bike before,” Estrem said. “It is going to be tough but we got it” The trio biked from Naples to Washington D.C. to shed light on the darkness of domestic violence, racking up 1,200 miles in 12 days. But before hitting the road Estrem and his team went through a 30-hour class called core competency. He said, “We needed to be able to understand the issues and speak about it with people in the public” And what Estrem learned – shook him. Because it is not always physical control. “What we learned in the core competency class was that a lot of times it is economic control,” he explained. “It can be just plain verbal abuse and manipulation that way.” The knowledge allowed them to stop along the trip to meet with mayors, NFL players, and vice governors to spread awareness. Being a husband and father, it’s an issue personal to Estrem. The Core Competency Class at the Shelter for Abused Women and Children touches on the impact of trauma, safety planning and risk assessment for a victim. And also how to work with children who have just escaped a toxic situation. Resources for victims of domestic violence in Southwest Florida On Wednesday at 10 a.m. on CW, WINK News is airing a one-hour special on domestic violence. Many think of domestic violence as physical hitting with potential signs of bruising of a victim, but it can also include verbal, mental, financial, and other types of abuse. It can also impact people of all ages and of any sex. During the hour we’ll tell the stories of survivors, red flags to look out for in a relationship, and provide resources. If you can’t watch it live, check back here for the full special after it airs. Resources National Network to End Domestic Violence: Financial Abuse Consider applying for a micro-loan with NNEDV’s Independence Project to begin rebuilding your credit score. Domestic violence myths Domestic Violence Centers map Charlotte County Center for Abuse and Rape Emergencies Phone: 941-639-5499 Hotline: 941-627-6000 SMS Text: 941-449-8534 TDD: 941-627-6000 Website: carefl.org Chat: resourceconnect.com Collier County The Shelter for Abused Women & Children Phone: 239-775-3862 Hotline: 239-775-1101 TDD: 239-775-4265 Website: naplesshelter.org DeSoto County Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center Phone: 941-365-0208 Hotline: 941-365-1976 TDD: 941-365-1976 Website: sparcc.net Glades County Abuse Counseling and Treatment Phone: 239-939-2553 Hotline: 239-939-3112 TDD: 239-939-3112 Website: actabuse.com Hendry County Abuse Counseling and Treatment Phone: 239-939-2553 Hotline: 239-939-3112 TDD: 239-939-3112 Website: actabuse.com Lee County Abuse Counseling and Treatment Phone: 239-939-2553 Hotline: 239-939-3112 TDD: 239-939-3112 Website: actabuse.com Below are mental health resources available to Southwest Floridians at the national and local levels. National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255 suicidepreventionlifeline.org David Lawrence Center (Collier County) (239)455-8500 davidlawrencecenter.org SalusCare (Lee County) (239)275-4242 saluscareflorida.org National Alliance on Mental Illness, Collier County namicollier.org National Alliance on Mental Illness, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry Counties namilee.org The National Alliance for Caregiving offers a free handbook Circle of Care: A Guidebook for Mental Health Caregivers Collier County Mental Health Court ca.cjis20.org/home/collier Lee County Mental Health Court ca.cjis20.org/home/lee Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance convio.net Local Support Groups: Anxiety and Depression Association of America adaa.org U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Mental Health and Addiction Insurance Help) hhs.gov/programs/topic-sites/mental-health-parity Local veterans resource: Home Base SWFL https://homebase.org/home-base-southwest-florida/