A recent survey about public attitudes toward domestic violence shows most state residents recognize that the problem is serious, and often close to home. At the same time, more than eight in 10 respondents say they are hopeful that systemic changes, including funding for services can protect victims and legal reforms can deter such incidents.
That comes in a year when advocates are increasingly clashing with a federal government that has attempted to claw back money that has long filled this need, increasing pressure on the state to step in to provide financial stability.
In the survey, commissioned by the Blue Shield of California Foundation, 76% said they believed domestic violence was preventable, with large majorities advocating incarceration alternatives such as increasing mental health care, restorative justice, help with benefit enrollment, job protections and cash assistance for survivors.
An overwhelming 79% said they had been affected by domestic violence directly or indirectly through a family member or friend identified as a survivor, an increase of 13 percentage points from a similar study in 2021.
“These findings make it clear that domestic violence is not only widespread, it is personal for far too many Californians,” said Debbie Chang, the foundation’s president and CEO. “But they also highlight a hopeful truth: Most people understand that supporting state-funded resources and alternatives to jail that go beyond punishment can create safer, healthier communities for every Californian.”
The survey was conducted in English, Spanish and Chinese. It was released Oct. 8.
The research highlights important nuances in how Californians define domestic violence. Most recognized it as a range of behaviors that included “gaslighting” (69%), financial control (68%), verbal (74%), physical violence (76%) and sexual coercion or forced sex (74%).
To better understand the findings, researchers used a “mixed-methods” approach. In addition to the 2,459 adult participants surveyed, researchers convened group discussions that included people from wide-ranging demographic profiles. They included women, LGBTQ+ people, respondents from varied racial and ethnic backgrounds, those facing financial hardship and households with mixed immigration status.
The survey tallies did not include the focus group responses. Rather, their lived experiences helped researchers better interpret the findings. “The survey results represent the state’s population,” said Courtnee Hamity, senior evaluation and data strategy officer at the foundation.
The survey shows 42% reporting that in the last year they dealt with misfortune such as a job loss or serious illness. The National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago conducted the survey in May on behalf of the foundation.
The survey also questioned Californians on relevant issues about gender identity. Six in 10 said gender is binary and determined at birth. People with a college education or above, those with higher incomes and Democrats were more likely to have an expansive view of gender.
Distrust of the criminal justice system is worryingly high, with only 34% saying domestic violence cases were generally handled constructively. In deciding whether to involve the police, 37% expressed concern that the police would do nothing, while 28% said the police would not take them seriously.
Most said they felt racism was on the rise, at 59%, though that sentiment is much higher among immigrants, at 77%.
Attitudes have shifted from traditional criminal punishment, with 78% endorsing rehabilitative frameworks such as restorative justice that advocate diverting defendants out of jail and toward treatment or community service.
Funding challenges
In recent years, women’s rights advocates have found it increasingly difficult to sustain services for domestic violence survivors and other crime victims because of dwindling federal funding, said Krista Colón, executive director of the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence.
California receives funding through the national Victims of Crime Act, which benefits about 800,000 survivors of sexual violence, including domestic violence. The funding flows to service providers through the governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Congress authorizes a set amount of money each year from the fund, but advocates say funding levels reaching the community have been inconsistent.
Last May, as lawmakers were revising the state budget, dozens of women’s rights advocates and service providers rallied in Sacramento to demand continued funding for domestic violence support services. Early drafts of the 2025-2026 budget left it out. Lawmakers agreed to one-time funding of $100 million, Colón said.
But California, like other states, has had to fight for federal funding as the Trump administration’s ideological attacks on diversity repeatedly block the dispersal of existing grants. In July, 20 states joined in a coalition co-led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta to sue the U.S. Department of Justice for imposing what it called illegal restrictions on receipt of federal funding for organizations serving survivors of domestic violence, immigrants and LGBTQ+ victims of violent crimes.
On his first day in office last Jan. 20, President Trump signed an executive order to end programs suspected of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, prompting advocates to warn that Victims of Crime Act grants could be swept up in the change. In California, those funds support 35 victim-assistance programs. The order directed the states to identify institutions operating what the administration called “illegal DEI” programs and requiring them to officially vow that they did not engage in DEI-related activities.
The states’ lawsuit succeeded, and in early October the Department of Justice dropped those restrictions.
Asked whether women’s rights advocates were discouraged by the funding cuts and weakened legal protections, Chang said that, “even in these turbulent times” the Blue Shield of California Foundation remained optimistic that the state had adequate resources to support domestic violence survivors.
She said the public’s skepticism toward traditional criminal justice responses, indicate a shift in public consciousness that could make communities safer. The survey, Chang said, “defines the problem — and helps develop solutions.”