A joint city-county collaborative was recently tasked with coming up with a plan to curb the city's domestic violence epidemic. Thirty-five people died as a result of domestic violence in Bexar County in 2018, and the number of murders by a male intimate partner continues to rise.
The domestic violence collaborative commission -- which includes members of the judiciary, health care community, City and County staff, law enforcement agencies and local nonprofits -- was established following the publication of a report on the Status of Women in San Antonio earlier this year that included dire statistics about the issue.
Researchers found that murder by a male intimate partner nearly tripled from 2012-2017. San Antonio also has the highest rate of male intimate partner violence compared to other large metropolitan Texas cities.
They will be tasked with compiling data, identifying gaps in response and prevention and areas of opportunity, then putting it all together in a comprehensive domestic violence plan that will be presented October 30 to both the San Antonio City Council and Bexar County Commissioners Court.
How will this collaborative be different than previous efforts to address domestic violence? What new approaches will they use? How will the subcommittees interact with and act on behalf of victims?
What gaps and barriers in treatment and prevention are the most difficult to address? What are the root causes of domestic violence and why is the problem seemingly getting worse?
Guests:
- Judge Peter Sakai, 225th District Court/Children's Court and founder of the Commission on Collaborative Strategies to Prevent, Combat and Respond to Domestic Violence
- Judge Monique Diaz, 150th Civil District Court and co-chair of the commission
- Colleen Bridger, assistant city manager for the City of San Antonio and co-chair of the commission
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*This interview was recorded on Tuesday, September 3.
