SAN ANTONIO- Organizers and local leaders gathered today at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center for a symposium aimed at addressing domestic violence in San Antonio.
The event, organized by the Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence (CCDV), seeks to educate attendees on resources available for those in abusive relationships and to discuss strategies for preventing and reducing domestic violence.
The CCDV was established in 2019 after San Antonio recorded the highest number of domestic violence-related homicides in Texas the previous year. The city and county joined forces to influence policy and utilize available resources to combat domestic violence.
Violence Prevention Administrator Erica Haller-Stevenson from Metro Health emphasized the importance of the symposium, stating, “It gives us an opportunity to hear where the gaps are in our community and what we need to show up and what we need to do a better job and that allows us to better serve people in our community.”
The symposium also featured speakers from the Gabby Petito Foundation. Gabby Petito was killed in 2021 by her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, while they were traveling together. Her mother and stepmother shared her story, hoping to inspire others to seek help.
The event aims to break the stigma surrounding domestic violence and encourage open discussions. “Encouraging folks in our community to talk more about domestic violence… we are trying to change that and I think we’re successfully changing that because it’s so critical to make people feel comfortable when talking about this, it’s such an important issue,” said Judge Monique Diaz, co-chair of CCDV.