July 23, 2024

Los Angeles, CA —Today, the Board of Supervisors took an important step to prioritize gender-based violence (GBV) prevention in Los Angeles County. Through a motion introduced by Chair Lindsey P. Horvath, the Board approved a more exhaustive definition for GBV that stretches beyond domestic violence to intentionally root out all forms of GBV and uplift survivors. GBV is one of Supervisor Horvath’s priorities as Chair.

“Los Angeles County is moving from a framework of intervention to one of proactive prevention to address the root causes of gender-based violence in our communities,” said Chair Lindsey P. Horvath. “Our focus on gender-based violence prevention will fill gaps in critical prevention services within the County and our community-based service network, centering the experiences and perspectives of survivors to foster stronger, more resilient communities.”

Through Chair Horvath’s motion and a community outreach process, Los Angeles County has expanded its definition of GBV to the following:

Violent acts or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuses that are used to harm, punish, or frighten due to a person’s identified or perceived gender or sexual identity. GBV includes, but is not limited to, domestic violence, intimate partner violence, gendered cyber abuses, sexual harassment, sexual assault and exploitation, trafficking, homophobic and transphobic abuses.

Gender-based violence prevention efforts will be led by the Department of Public Health’s Office of Violence Prevention in coordination with the Los Angeles County Domestic Violence Council, the Los Angeles County Office of Women’s Health, the Los Angeles County Sexual Assault Council, the Los Angeles County LGBTQ+ Commission, survivors, and nonprofit, legal, community, and academic experts.

This work will be supported through two staff created in our recently adopted budget. The community can stay connected to this work through gender-based violence policy deputy meetings. Visit ceo.lacounty.gov/agendas and scroll to “Gender-Based Violence Cluster”.

For more information, read the motion and the July 1 Board letter.

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