The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District is launching its latest initiative to address domestic violence in the community.
The San Antonio City Council passed an ordinance in October 2023 that requires all public places to post domestic violence resource signs in restrooms used by visitors or employees starting on Oct. 1 of this year. This includes hotels, restaurants, movie theaters, and more.
The sign includes a number for free and confidential support and a QR code that can be scanned for additional resources and hotlines.
City officials said San Antonio has one of the highest rates of domestic violence in Texas.
The Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence, a partnership between Bexar County and the City of San Antonio, reported the San Antonio Police Department responded to 55,766 family violence calls in 2022.
Restrooms can often provide a private and safe space for a person experiencing domestic violence to scan a QR code or obtain a phone number without being witnessed by their abuser.
It is part of the city-wide “Love Is…” campaign intended to define healthy relationships and decrease domestic violence within the community. The city also voted to allocate nearly $34 million to prevent and intervene in domestic violence situations as part of the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.
Businesses must place the sign on the bottom right corner of the restroom mirror or on the back of the restroom exit door at eye level if there is no mirror available.
Metro Health will provide the sign at no cost to establishments. If a sign has not been received, businesses can call 311 or 210-207-7776 to request one.
Community health workers will distribute the signs and educate businesses and the community about the ordinance. Metro Health will carry out enforcement on a compliant basis or during routine inspections of licensed businesses.
Complaints against businesses who do not have the required signage can be filed by calling 311 Customer Service.
