Despite San Jose spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to explore ways to assist domestic violence survivors without involving law enforcement, the group who conducted the study came back empty-handed with no solutions.
The city released its “Community-Led Solutions to Domestic Violence” study May 20, conducted by Minnesota-based Battered Women’s Justice Project. The nonprofit directed surveys on gaps in services for survivors and ways to address the problems through community-led solutions. The group interviewed 138 survivors, community leaders and service providers. San Jose allocated $400,000 for the research, and $350,000 was spent.
The study shows San Jose is addressing survivors’ needs in a culturally responsive way, but services are insufficient and survivors aren’t aware of existing programs. The study also concludes services for survivors with a disability or mental health challenges remain limited and demand for housing is high…