The Brief

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Almost 8,000 people called a domestic violence hotline in Pinellas County last year, and Community Action Stops Abuse (CASA), the county’s primary provider of domestic violence services, said more people are asking for emergency shelter than there are beds available.

By the numbers:

CASA’s emergency shelter averages about 150 people a night — half are children.

Nude Florida man arrested after multiple home burglaries in Pinellas Park neighborhood

"For every 25 calls we get to our hotline, we're only able to admit one to a shelter. That's the volume that we see in this community," said Larianna Forsyth, CASA’s CEO. "The volume is incredibly high. The need is very, very high."

The non-profit served 3,000 families in Pinellas County last year.

"We

See Full Page