Santa Clara County this week established the Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention, a move that will amplify local efforts to address sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking, according to county staff.
The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the creation of this office Sept. 24, followed by a Sept. 26 announcement that Carla Collins has been appointed to lead the new efforts.
“The new Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention will show Santa Clara County residents we’re making services and support for survivors of gender-based violence a major priority,” said Supervisor and Board Vice President Cindy Chavez. “The support and services are vital as we reform how we go about prosecuting and preventing these terrible crimes.”
As manager of the new office, Collins will develop an implementation plan for the county and guide policy to effectively address the full spectrum of gender-based violence and abuse, county staff said. She brings more than a decade of experience on survivor-centered, trauma-informed policy and evaluation to increase victim safety and batterer accountability.
“I’m incredibly honored and humbled to work in a county that prioritizes survivors of violence,” Collins said.
Santa Clara County has led numerous efforts to understand, address and prevent intimate partner violence, and recently began recognizing its intersections with other forms of violence, such as sexual assault and human trafficking. The newly created office will help develop policies that can effectively and efficiently address all three areas of gender-based violence, according to county staff.
“The Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention will provide the Board of Supervisors with the input and data to implement policies to better serve survivors who are often impacted by multiple crimes,” said Supervisor Dave Cortese.
Annually, local domestic violence programs in Santa Clara County provide essential lifesaving services to over 6,000 domestic violence victims and children, including more than 23,000 bed nights, and receive more than 20,000 calls to the local domestic violence crisis hotlines, county staff said in a press release. In fiscal year 2019, 161 survivors of human trafficking and/or workplace crimes were provided with basic needs services, while 135 survivors were provided with legal services.
In 2018, seven domestic violence related deaths were reported in Santa Clara County, according to authorities. District Attorney Jeff Rosen’s office also received 5,519 domestic violence case referrals, and 44 percent of filed cases resulted in felony charges. In the last two years, the DA’s office and the Valley Medical Center’s Sexual Assault Forensic Exam program both saw a 20 percent increase in sexual assault cases reviewed.
As part of the county’s Division of Equity and Social Justice, the Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention connects survivors of violence to the services they need to heal and thrive.
In addition to providing policy analysis, the office will administer a $12 million budget that focuses on prevention, direct services, research and training in partnership with a number of county departments and community-based organizations.
“The creation of this office establishes the Division of Equity and Social Justice as the center for both innovation and collaboration to address the most pressing issues impacting vulnerable residents,” said County of Santa Clara Deputy Director David Campos, who oversees this division.
