Collaborative Commission On Domestic Violence Releases Year 2 Report On Accomplishments And Highlights Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

Press release from the City of San Antonio:

Monday, February 14, 2022

CONTACT: Laura Mayes laura.mayes@sanantonio.gov; (210) 207-1337
Rudy Arispe rudy.arispe@sanantonio.gov; (210) 207-8172

SAN ANTONIO (February 14, 2022) – The Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence (CCDV) and local leaders gathered at San Antonio City Hall to call attention to National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month and highlight the coordinated efforts between local partners to prevent domestic violence. The CCDV also released its Year 2 Progress Report, which noted its accomplishments of establishing a pilot domestic violence referral and lethality screening hotline, reforms through the court system and enhanced awareness and education efforts. The report also notes the challenges that the community will work together to address.

“As we continue our dedication to finding collaborative solutions to domestic violence in our community, we know that we continue to face significant challenges. The CCDV will continue to be transparent about our successes and the challenges in changing the future of San Antonio to be free from violence,” CCDV co-chair Judge Monique Diaz said.

“Together with our partners, we’ve made more resources and tools available to address domestic violence. Survivors and their families have our commitment to continue to develop and implement solutions, make the necessary reforms and address the root causes of domestic violence,” CCDV co-chair and City of San Antonio Deputy City Manager Maria Villagomez said.

The CCDV was initiated in 2019 by Judge Peter Sakai to coordinate efforts between the City of San Antonio, Bexar County and community-based organizations to reduce the public health emergency of domestic violence in Bexar County. The Commission consists of six Committees, including healthcare, prosecution, judiciary, law enforcement, education, and non-profit. Each year, the CCDV issues a report to bring attention to achievements and areas for continued work.

Notable CCDV Year 2 accomplishments include:

• Services: The Healthcare and Law Enforcement committees established a pilot domestic violence referral and lethality screening hotline. The innovative Domestic Violence Hotline is a partnership between Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC), Bexar County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO), Family Violence Prevention Services (FVPS), and Metro Health Violence Prevention and launched in August 2021. As a result, there has been an increase of victims willing to leave their home to seek safe shelter away from the abuser.
• Action in the Courts: The Judiciary committee secured funding for a civil court compliance officer to aid with firearm transfer compliance and finalized the firearm transfer process and forms. Additional funding was secured for legal services to include 2 additional attorneys and 1 paralegal through a partnership with Texas Rio Grande Legal Aide (TRLA).

Other accomplishments are in the areas of training, education and awareness, resources and Data.

The CCDV’s report also details the strategies the committee will work on over the next year. These strategies include ensuring that evidence-based teen dating violence prevention curricula are used in schools.

Reports will be available at the Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence website https://ccdv.org and through the Metro Health Violence Prevention Section www.sanantonio.gov/ViolencePrevention on February 15, 2022.

Local leaders also called attention to National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in three teens in the United States will experience physical, sexual, or emotional abuse by someone they are in a relationship with before they become adults.

For anyone experiencing domestic violence, please call the City of San Antonio Domestic Violence Hotline at (210) 207-1878, Family Violence Prevention Services 24/7 Hotline at (210) 733-8810 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).

Resources specifically for teens and young people include:

• The National Teen Dating Violence Hotline, Love is Respect, is available at 1-866-331-9474. Text support is available by texting LOVEIS to 22522. Chat at loveisresepect.org
• LGBT National Help Center: serving the LGBTQ+ Community by providing free and confidential peer support and local resources. Call 1-800-246-7743 or chat at glbthotline.org
• StrongHearts: 24/7 free, confidential, and culturally relevant support for Native American and Alaska Native teens and young adults experiencing dating abuse and sexual violence. Call 844-7NATIVE (762-8483) or chat live at strongheartshelpline.org.

This press release was produced by the City of San Antonio. The views expressed here are the author’s own.