San Francisco marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month; DA and mayor highlight new services and 40 months without domestic-violence homicide

City officials and advocates gathered on the steps of San Francisco City Hall to proclaim October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and to highlight reforms and services aimed at preventing and responding to domestic violence.

District Attorney George Gascon described his office's new standalone unit for domestic violence, noting it will include victim advocates, paralegals, investigators and dedicated lawyers to improve response for vulnerable victims, including limited-English speakers and LGBT survivors. Gascon said the office had secured grant support to expand services and was focused on improving quality for more vulnerable victims.

Mayor Ed Lee lauded the collaborative citywide response and said the city had invested in services to support survivors. He noted that the city had gone 40 months without a domestic-violence homicide and urged continued attention to both prevention and support services. Community leaders including Andrea Shorter of the Justice-Informed Oversight Panel and Beverly Upton of the Domestic Violence Consortium described policy reforms implemented over recent years (training, language access, lethality assessments) and called for sustained advocacy and funding.

Speakers included family members of victims, who described personal loss and called for continued reform. The event closed with civic acknowledgments and a reminder of upcoming community actions to raise awareness.