Lurie, Assemblymember Stefani push for stronger protections for domestic violence survivors
FILE ART - San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie
SAN FRANCISCO - Mayor Daniel Lurie on Friday announced a statewide legislative effort, in partnership with Assemblymember Catherin Stefani, to strengthen protections for survivors of domestic violence.
Lurie and Stefani (D-19) are pushing to allow prosecutors to file felony charges against abusers who violate protective orders in high-risk cases. The law currently only allows violations to be charged as misdemeanors.
"Survivors do everything they are told to do. They seek help. They go to court. They secure a protective order. When an abuser violates that order and nothing happens, the system has abandoned them," Stefani said in a press release. "This legislation changes that. If a survivor is in danger, prosecutors must have the authority to step in before violence escalates.
The proposed legislation is a response to a pattern documented by the Mayor’s Office for Victim’s Rights. Survivors report repeated violations of restraining and protective orders. However, enforcement of those orders can vary, and violations often result in no consequence.
"Survivors or sexual assault, stalking, elder abuse, and domestic violence demonstrate remarkable courage in seeking protective orders, yet research shows that up to 44% of these orders are violated — often because our system lacks robust enforcement mechanisms resulting in underreporting and a lack of faith that our system is effective at protecting survivors," Ivy Lee, the director of the Mayor’s Office for Victim’s Rights said in a press release. "This legislation is a strong step in needed system change to ensure that when survivors seek help, they are met with meaningful protection, and we commend the leaders driving this critical reform."
Stefani will introduce the bill at the start of the upcoming legislative session.