In cases of domestic violence, what can be done at the local and national levels to prevent future instances of violence against women, families and society at large from occurring? What role can restorative justice and community based approaches have in mitigating harm?

As CEO of Safe & Sound, Katie Albright highlights the connection between domestic violence and the compounding pressures of socioeconomic instability, lack of education and childhood abuse. Safe & Sound works to raise awareness about the red flags of abuse, challenge existing laws and ensure that survivors have a voice. With the resulting cost of child abuse estimated to be about $2.2 billion in the Bay Area alone, prioritizing prevention merits attention from not just a moral but an economic standpoint.

An expert on domestic violence policy, family law and intimate partner abuse, Julia Weber’s work at Giffords Law Center focuses on restraining order implementation in relation to gun violence. The center's work highlights the relationship between domestic violence and firearms—in the majority of mass shootings, the perpetrator was committing an act of domestic or family violence.

Delia Ginorio’s work prompts us to consider the role restorative justice can play in cases of domestic violence and the broader legal framework. Ginorio currently oversees all women’s services for the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department and also serves on the boards of the Insight Prison Project and the Five Keys Charter Schools. All of these programs bring education, accountability and restoration to offenders and survivors of violence.

Join us this Domestic Violence Awareness Month for an evening of discussion around policy and community-based approaches we must fight for to end domestic violence and ensure a better future for us all.