Domestic Violence Briefing

On Friday, June 19, 2015 the Los Angeles County Commission for Women in collaboration with the Domestic Violence Council held the first Domestic Violence "Breakfast Briefing" for the shelter agencies, and other domestic violence services providers to dialogue with Board of Supervisors Deputies regarding services provided to domestic violence victims and their families.

Domestic Violence is a health care problem of epidemic proportions. In addition to the immediate trauma caused by abuse, domestic violence contributes to a number of chronic health problems, including depression, alcohol and substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS, and often limits the ability of women to manage other chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension.

According to the Greater LA Homeless Count of 2015, 21% of all homeless individuals in LA County (total 44, 359) were impacted by domestic violence.

Domestic violence has been found to be linked to more than half of the mass shootings committed in the U.S. between 2009 and 2016. In a case-by-case study of incidents of shootings of four or more people that took place during that time, more than half the time the perpetrator killed their former or current intimate partner, as well as others present, both in homes and in public.

Funding for domestic violence programs is already woefully insufficient. According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence annual census in 2016 there were 12,000 inquiries for domestic violence services that could not be fulfilled due to a lack of resources; 63 percent were for housing/shelter.  As of September 14, 2024 there were 14,095 requests for services that programs could not provide because they lacked sufficient resources, funding, and/or staffing to meet these needs.  This is about a 15% increase since 2016.  Things are going in the opposite direction. 

These inquiries included help needed for attaining safe shelter, legal services, transportation assistance and child care, among others. These vital resources assist domestic violence survivors in attaining safety, exercising their legal rights, and other fundamental needs of surviving. Further reducing access to VAWA grants will lead to poorer outcomes for survivors, including increased fatalities.  For these very reasons and others the Los Angeles County Commission for Women Violence Against Women Girls, in collaboration with the Domestic Violence Council created this annual forum.