Concerned about domestic violence that exists in the San Mateo County, supervisors presented an initiative Tuesday that will send survivor advocates along with police to certain 911 calls.
Once the scene is safe (and the victim is willing), a survivor advocate from the new Domestic Violence Emergency Response Team will offer services and support including help finding emergency shelter, navigating the legal system, and locating fast and continuous support and care.
“This pilot, born from the Council Against Domestic Violence Task Force formed last year, is an exciting example of what can happen when all of our agencies work together to meet the time when survivors need the most support,” said the supervisor Noelia Corzo, president of the Domestic Violence Council.
“We hope this pilot saves lives,” he stressed.
The Council's Task Force on Domestic Violence was formed in 2023 following the deaths of five women at the hands of their abusers, while the new response team was born from findings based on evidence that immediate intervention with trained advocates can save lives in addition to preventing future abuse, the county said in a statement.
Supervisors on Tuesday selected Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse, or CORA, as the County's partner to establish the Domestic Violence Emergency Response Team.
Likewise, supervisors authorized the County Executive Office to negotiate a contract with CORA to operate an 18-month pilot response program.
“We know that the sooner we can engage a family and their children in a variety of services, including counseling, the more likely a family can break out of a cycle of abuse,” said Karen Ferguson, executive director of CORA. “This program, in partnership with law enforcement response to domestic-related incidents, provides vital community support.”
As a pilot, the program will begin with the Daly City and San Mateo police departments and the Sheriff's Office in North Fair Oaks.
Under a developing protocol, law enforcement is responsible for stabilizing a scene, such as stopping a crime, arresting a suspect, or ensuring the safety of a victim, for example.
Once the scene is stabilized, CORA's survivor advocate will provide support and a variety of services.
To do this, defenders will be trained in a culturally competent response, the county said. Advocacy services will be available approximately 40 hours per week with flexible hours as needed. When an advocate is not available, authorities will provide information about CORA services 24 hours a day.
?Together, we stand united against domestic violence. Our co-response task force exemplifies our unwavering commitment to protecting and supporting victims and ending domestic violence. Through collaboration and dedication, we are creating a safer and stronger community for everyone,” said Sheriff Christina Corpus.
Supervisors authorized negotiating a contract with CORA for up to $800,000. Funds from the Measure K half-cent local sales tax will provide seed capital for the pilot. Officials will evaluate the effectiveness of the program throughout the pilot period.
Violence in numbers
- One in five women in California who experience homelessness said intimate partner violence was the reason they left their last home, according to a report from the UCSF Benioff Housing and Homelessness Initiative.
- In 2022, there were 1.37 million incidents of domestic violence victimization, according to the U.S. Bureau of Criminal Justice Statistics. More than half of female homicide victims are killed by a current or former male intimate partner.
- 96 percent of murder or suicide victims are women, according to a study published by the National Institutes of Health.
- In San Mateo County, 911 operators receive, on average, nearly five calls a day, 365 days a year, reporting domestic violence, according to the state Attorney General's Office.
- Nearly half of intimate partner abuse and domestic violence victimizations are not reported to police.
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