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Discussion of City of Alameda's Domestic Violence Response
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To: Honorable President Scott Means and Members of the Social Service Human Relations Board (SSHRB)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In early 2020, during the pandemic's emergency shelter in place orders, the Alameda Police Department identified an alarming rate of reported Domestic Violence (DV) cases in Alameda. Subsequently, SSHRB formally reinstituted the DV Task Force at its May 28, 2020 meeting. Since then, the Task Force has been an element of SSHRB's annual Work Plan.
As SSHRB prepares its 2024 Work Plan, City of Alameda (City) staff have invited Nicole Britton-Snyder from the Family Violence Law Center to speak at the January 31, 2024 SSHRB meeting and to answer any questions.
BACKGROUND
In 2000, under the guidance of the Social Service Human Relations Board (SSHRB), a Domestic Violence (DV) Task Force was formed in Alameda. The goal of the Task Force was to coordinate domestic violence prevention and intervention services in the City of Alameda and mobilize all members of our community to take a proactive role in building a domestic violence-free community. Due to funding cuts and staff changes, the Task Force was dissolved in 2005. In early 2020, the Alameda Police Department identified an alarming rate of reported DV cases during the emergency Shelter in Place (SIP).
At SSHRB's March 26, 2020 meeting, Erin Scott, Executive Director of the Family Violence Law Center, commented that the number of reported DV incidences would likely increase after the SIP Order is lifted when victims have more options for seeking help.
Learning from other natural catastrophes, such as Hurricane Katrina, Ms. Scott further explained that research shows a lasting effect of disasters on domestic violence, with an increased number of incidences spanning the two years following the crisis. While the economic hardship and disruption associated with disasters may not cause domestic violence, it exacerbates the...
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