Domestic violence rates across the country drastically spiked throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. On top of this, research shows that the presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicides against women by 500%.
These statistics prove that action is needed to protect victims from further harm.
Across California, family justice centers serve as an invaluable resource to victims of domestic violence and their families. With services such as domestic violence and sexual assault counseling, housing assistance, and trauma recovery services, family justice centers provide life-changing assistance every day.
Unfortunately, not every family justice center has the ability to assist domestic violence victims in seeking safety against gun violence, specifically in obtaining gun violence restraining orders (GVROs) against their abs. In fact, many Californians do not know what a GVRO is.
In a recent study conducted by UC Davis, two-thirds of Californians surveyed had never heard of GVROs. However, once learning more about their purpose, over 75% of those said they would be willing to seek out a GVRO if needed.
Gun violence restraining orders provide an extra layer of protection to victims of domestic violence. Separate from domestic violence restraining orders (DVROs), GVROs provide protection against an ab’s overall dangerous behavior.
With a GVRO, victims can have peace of mind that law enforcement will retrieve any firearms their ab has in their possession. In San Diego, GVROs have had a 100% success rate in obtaining firearms from an ab’s home.
While California leads the way in gun violence prevention, there is still work to be done to ensure that people are protected from these dangerous individuals.
This is why I authored AB 2137, which will ensure that family justice centers throughout California have the resources needed to prepare victims of domestic violence to pursue GVROs should their situation call for one. I am proud to have partnered with San Diego City Attorney Mara W. Elliott on AB 2137.
I am pleased to share that AB 2137 was signed by the governor and will become law on Jan. 1, 2023. It is critical that we do everything possible to ensure that domestic violence victims have access to the resources they need to escape violent situations.
I am confident that the resources this bill makes available will provide the opportunity for many victims and their families to seek protection from their abs.
Maienschein represents the 77th District in the California Assembly. The district includes Poway, Rancho Bernardo and 4S Ranch.
