In October, the San Francisco Police Department consolidated its investigative units handling domestic violence, elder abuse, child abuse, and sex crimes/exploitation, creating the Special Victims Unit (SVU) of the San Francisco Police Department.
La Casa continues to work day-in and day-out alongside the Unit’s Inspectors, insuring domestic violence victims’ have immediate access to a wide array of confidential support services. “Being onsite at the Hall of Justice, La Casa’s advocates can offer immediate support to vulnerable victims. Officers and Inspectors can walk a victim to our door inside the SVU. A criminal justice intervention or police response is many times just the beginning,” says La Casa Executive Director Kathy Black.
Within the SVU, says the SFPD press release, “for the first time in the SFPD’s history, various investigative units will operate out of a single office to focus on the sensitive nature of crimes in which victims have suffered the effects of domestic violence, elder abuse, child abuse and sex crimes/exploitation. Most of the victims in these categories are women, children, and the elderly.” Through the combination of investigators assigned to Domestic Violence, Human Trafficking, Stalking, the Sexual Offender Registration Program, Financial Crimes, and Missing Persons in one Unit will leverage expertise and streamline process.
In this transition La Casa remains an important part of the team (read more here) and looks forward to an enhanced response for victims of domestic violence, who often experience crimes that cross such concrete categories. If you or someone you know needs help, knock on our door inside the SVU lobby, stop into the Drop In Center, or call our 24-hour Crisis Line: 1-877-503-1850.
