LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a motion by Chair Pro Tem and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, co-authored by Supervisor Janice Hahn, proclaiming October 2025 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and advancing a comprehensive strategy to support survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence across the County.

“Domestic violence is not only a public health crisis, but also a public safety concern and a reflection of systemic failures that too often leave survivors without the support they need to heal,” said Chair Pro Tem Solis. “Survivors are our neighbors, our coworkers and our loved ones. Their strength calls us to act. Today’s action reaffirms Los Angeles County’s commitment to building survivor-centered, trauma-informed and culturally responsive systems that prevent violence and ensure every resident can live with dignity and safety.”

According to the 2025 Los Angeles Continuum of Care Point-in-Time Count, 42 percent of people experiencing homelessness reported a history of domestic or intimate partner violence. Ten percent became unhoused as a direct result of fleeing abuse. Among unaccompanied women, 60 percent disclosed such histories, with one in five reporting violence as the immediate cause of their homelessness. Despite this need, fewer than 1,000 DV-specific interim housing beds are available countywide, while more than 4,400 unsheltered adults reported needing them.

“With wave after wave of funding cuts that we’ve seen from the federal government over the last few months, I worry about what those will mean for people who are experiencing or who have survived domestic violence. We cannot let their struggles nor their voices get lost in the chaos,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn, Fourth District. “Our motion proclaims both Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Providers Appreciation Day so that we can keep this issue in the public eye and uplift the extraordinary work being done to support survivors, but critically it also includes specific directives that we hope will defend and expand the services available to protect people from domestic violence.”

The economic and social impacts of domestic violence are also severe. Nationally, domestic violence is estimated to cost more than $12 billion annually due to lost productivity, health care costs and legal services. Survivors frequently face workplace harassment by their abusers, yet 65 percent of U.S. companies lack a formal policy to address domestic violence in the workplace. This week’s motion directs multiple County departments to collaborate on strategies that: 

  • Assess federal and state funding risks and recommend solutions to stabilize and expand funding for services 
  • Explore options for local sustainable funding and redirection of justice-related funds to support survivor services 
  • Expand culturally responsive emergency housing and economic opportunities for survivors 
  • Launch trainings and resources for employers to help support survivors in the workplace 
  • Advocate for state legislation to expand diversion and expungement opportunities for criminalized survivors

The Board also proclaimed October 15, 2025, as Domestic Violence Providers Appreciation Day to honor frontline organizations serving survivors across Los Angeles County.

The County departments named in the motion will report back within 120 days with findings and recommendations, including strategies for long-term sustainability and progress tracking.