Curbing Domestic Violence: DA Works With Grocery Stores To Help Report Suspected Abuse
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — During the stay at home order, with children out of school and people out of work, there has been an uptick in family violence cases, according to Sacramento police.
Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert and local law enforcement are teaming up with essential businesses in a new campaign, empowering the public to report suspected child abuse or family violence.
"Our theme on this whole campaign is — hear, see, suspect and report," Schubert said. "You might be wrong, but — as the chief says — we'd rather air on the side of caution to do a welfare check on somebody to make sure they're okay."
Grocery stores and retailers will now be equipped with posters about how victims of violence can get help and services, especially during this time when kids aren't going into the classroom.
"Kids cannot necessarily have the teachers that they once had to see them face-to-face to say 'What's going on there? Why do you have this bruise there?' Or 'Is something happening at home?' To see their physical demeanor, so everyone is being hyper-vigilant about this," Schubert said.
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For victims of domestic violence, you can text 911 anywhere in Sacramento County and that will go to a law enforcement agency where you live. For those too afraid to speak, up, that's where public awareness comes in.
"It's an awareness that we have to look at this differently, and we maybe have to do things differently. Because we have to be able to protect these vulnerable populations," Schubert said.
The DA's office is also using the Nextdoor app to share resources for those in need. They have already reached 260,000 people in Sacramento County.
