The Special Victims Unit has increased responsibility to include Missing Persons and the Victim Advocate. In addition, the three detectives assigned to the Unit are charged with investigating cases of child abuse and neglect, elder abuse and neglect, sexual battery, sex offenses, domestic violence, parental kidnapping, and stalking. Threat abatement is still considered a viable method of reducing the rising number of domestic related homicides. The Unit also monitors the city's sexual predators and sexual offenders.