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Board advances ordinance to create Office of Victim and Witness Rights and fold SHARP into new office
Summary
Supervisors Stephanie and Ronan introduced legislation to implement the voter‑approved Office of Victim and Witness Rights (OVWR), move the city's SHARP (Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention) program under OVWR, and clarify SHARP duties; the measure was introduced and re‑referred for further consideration.
Supervisors Stephanie and Ronan on June 18 introduced an ordinance to implement the voter‑approved Office of Victim and Witness Rights (OVWR) and to transfer the city's Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) program from the Human Rights Commission into OVWR.
Stephanie said the ordinance "clarifies the responsibilities of the newly formed office" and integrates SHARP under OVWR direction. The measure, she said, will formalize mandates and streamline services for survivors of sexual and other violent crimes. The board noted the recent appointment of Ivy Lee as OVWR's inaugural director.
Ronan described SHARP's origin and purpose and said that, in recent oversight hearings, the program had not consistently fulfilled its statutory mandate to provide internal policy recommendations to improve city departments' handling of survivors. The ordinance includes language that specifies SHARP employees' duties: assisting survivors in navigating city processes, aiding with police reports when requested, accompanying survivors to law enforcement interviews if requested, and simplifying the process for appointing a director.
Ronan asked that the item be re‑referred; board members agreed to re‑refer it for additional committee consideration and implementation planning. No final vote was taken on June 18.
