There is not enough support or resources for domestic violence victims in the state of California . I took a class in college called the female victim/offender. It was a course in correctional science. While taking this class we were taken on several field trips and watched several videos about the subject. I also interviewed a District Attorney on Sex Crimes and Female Victims of Domestic Violence. While i was searching for information, i was able to come up with only these resources as a way to help victims of domestic violence.
the first one was the domestic violence hot line . I called them and asked what kind of services they offer. Then the woman stated they only have limited number of shelters and most of them you cannot get approved to stay at unless you have children. I then tested my theory by asking how many shelters in my area would accept a woman with no children. The woman told me there were two shelters. However they were both over 1 hour away and for a woman who has been beat down and probably has no car i asked them if they provided transportation. She then told me no. OK. So much for that resource.
When interviewing the District attorney I witnessed a woman filling out a restraining order for protection of herself and her children. I asked how long the woman had been filling out the order, she explained she had been there for over 5 hours already. Not to mention no one was helping her to fill it out so when ever she went to turn it into the clerk, the clerk only doing her job, kept giving the order back for corrections. I then thought to myself, i doesn’t seem fair to have to go threw all of that after you have been physically attacked. I mean really? who wants to sit at the court house for over 5 hours the day after you might have had a nervous breakdown? It seems ridiculous due to the fact that i have knowledge that if police respond to a domestic violence encounter they have the option if they see fit to issue a emergency restraining order, which they rarely ever do, who know the reason. OK. so much for that resource.
The last resource is the police in general. I have went recently on a ride along with a local city police dept. The officer i was with responded to a domestic violence situation. When we arrived to the home it was clear that the woman had been slapped in the face. I could still see a bright red hand print on her cheek. The woman told the officer that the husband had slapped her. the officer totally disregarded what she was saying. The husband was there refusing to leave the home. Instead of arresting the man and forcing him to leave the home in a police car, The officer told the woman to leave. After she left he proceeded to tell the man to leave so the woman could return to the home. I failed to see exactly what lesson this taught anyone? Basically the man got away with slapping the woman and was told in not so many ways that if he wanted to do it again he might be able to get away with it then also.
Bottom line is our country needs to do more to protect the domestic violence victims of this country. If we can get justice and we cant depend on the law to protect us what do we have left?