California does too little to prevent intimate partner violence

Beverly’s abusive boyfriend controlled her every move and monitored her 24/7, even while she slept at night. Mike was on his honeymoon when his wife violently punched him for taking a left turn instead of a right. Elena’s husband forced her to have sex and threatened to have her deported if she didn’t obey his demands.

These brave survivors are victims of intimate partner violence, an abhorrent form of abuse that can take many forms — physical, sexual, psychological or financial — and affects individuals of all backgrounds, ages and gender identities.

Tragically, these experiences are common. One third of women and one quarter of men in California will experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime. And all too often, survivors struggle to access the services and care they need to escape their abuser and establish a life on their own.

We can and must do more to help them.

That’s why the Little Hoover Commission, California’s independent government watchdog, is calling for a strategic statewide approach to reduce and prevent intimate partner violence and help survivors recover from its horrible effects.

Also referred to as domestic violence, intimate partner violence wreaks devastating havoc on its victims. Abused people experience physical and mental health disorders at higher rates than their non-abused peers, and younger survivors are more likely to drop out of school. Many face crippling amounts of debt from credit cards and loans unknowingly taken out in their name by their abuser.

Worse, it’s often deadly. More than 600 women across the country are shot to death by their intimate partner each year, while millions more have survived a shooting attempt or have been threatened by a partner wielding a firearm. Women of color disproportionately bear the burden of these shootings and those who survive live with the trauma for the rest of their lives.

Despite the harsh toll intimate partner violence takes on society, California does much too little to prevent it.

As the members of the commission’s intimate partner violence subcommittee, we have spent the past year examining California’s response to this heinous abuse. We found dedicated public servants working in the state’s various programs on this topic, but nothing like the coordinated and focused approach the state needs.

No single agency is responsible for attacking this problem. An overwhelming focus on crisis intervention means help is always too little, too late. Outdated technology and personnel shortages hinder efforts to enforce the state’s firearms laws and remove weapons from abusers. And the lack of long-term support for survivors makes it difficult for them to establish independence and thrive on their own.

California can do better.

Our commission previously issued a report calling on California to streamline funding to organizations providing critical services to survivors of intimate partner violence.

Now we are issuing a new report, Beyond the Crisis: A Long-Term Approach to Reducing, Preventing, and Recovering from Intimate Partner Violence, that calls for greater action to more effectively combat this crime:

First, adopt a statewide strategy focused on prevention and early intervention and appoint a leader to steer California toward this approach. Regular evaluations of effectiveness will ensure the state is on the right path.

Second, create and adequately fund prevention and early intervention programs while ensuring existing rehabilitation programs are easily accessible to everyone. Expanding the reach of anti-violence initiatives will enable the state to help more people.

Third, increase enforcement of existing domestic violence-related firearms laws by modernizing the Department of Justice’s firearms databases and bolstering recruitment and retention of special agents. Such crucial work requires the resources necessary to get the job done.

Finally, expand and promote resources that help survivors establish financial independence. Addressing economic insecurity is essential to break the hold abusers have on their victims.

Greater prevention of intimate partner violence and stronger supports for survivors like Beverly, Mike and Elena are within reach, but we must act now. The safety and well-being of innocent victims throughout California depend on it.