The Family Violence Council (FVC) provides a comprehensive view of family violence and its consequences and recommends programs, policies, and coordination of City services to reduce the incidence of family violence in San Francisco. A coalition of 28 member agencies, spanning multiple City departments and community organizations, the FVC is now housed within the newly established Mayor’s Office for Victim Rights (MOVR), and provides guidance to the Board of Supervisors and Mayor on issues of child abuse, domestic violence, and elder abuse. As lead of the SF Child Abuse Prevention Council and a tri-chair of the Family Violence Council, Safe & Sound brings its expertise in child abuse prevention to this broader mission while working alongside the other chairs representing the Domestic Violence Consortium and the Consortium for Elder Abuse Prevention.
The Council’s effectiveness stems from the collaboration between child abuse, domestic violence, and elder abuse services. This integrated approach recognizes that family violence has cross-sectional impact. For example, in San Francisco and throughout California, survivors of domestic violence can face challenges as child welfare agencies may view them as failing to protect their children from exposure to violence, potentially leading to custody loss under “failure to protect” policies. Survivors can face the devastating possibility of losing custody of their children due to their own experience of violence.
*Substantiated definition: child welfare has determined that there is sufficient evidence to support a finding that more likely than not child abuse or neglect occurred
The Council has just released its comprehensive FY ‘22 – ’23 report examining family violence trends across San Francisco. Drawing data from over 10 city agencies and 27 community organizations, the report serves as the foundation for understanding the current status of family violence in San Francisco. This data-driven approach helps track trends, identify service gaps and shape policy recommendations. The report’s key recommendations focus on:
With the FVC tri-chairs and MOVR, Safe & Sound has begun working collaboratively with members on these recommendations. Currently, we are ensuring a seamless transition of the Council’s backbone support from DOSW (Department on Status of Women) to MOVR, advocating for sustained funding of direct service organizations in the upcoming budget cycle, and addressing staffing shortages in the Special Victims Unit (currently operating at 75% capacity). Collaboratively, we will continue implementing survivor-centered solutions across all remaining focus areas throughout the year.
Safe & Sound’s leadership in tri-chairing the Family Violence Council and driving its data-backed initiatives underscores our pivotal role in unifying San Francisco’s fight against family violence. By bridging critical gaps through cross-sector partnerships, structural reforms, and survivor-centered advocacy, Safe & Sound’s collaborative model ensures San Francisco’s families receive holistic protection against violence’s cascading harms.