27 Nov Richmond Earmarks Funds in Effort to Eliminate Gender-Based Violence

(Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

Richmond’s Task Force to Eliminate Gender-Based Violence has grown to over 40 people since March, coming together to create policy recommendations to reduce gender-based violence that is rooted in the lived experiences of survivors. Now, the task force is $6,000 closer to that goal. 

“Something about gender-based violence is it breeds and it fosters isolation, silence,” Nyabinga McDowell from the Contra Costa Family Justice Center’s CHAT Project told the City Council on Tuesday. “We wanted to connect those folks who don’t necessarily know that this is a reality.”

The council appropriated $6,000 for the task force, which is made up of a coalition of organizations like The Latina Center and the Family Justice Center, at its Tuesday meeting to support staffing that will finalize recommendations by the task force. 

Gender-based violence includes domestic violence, sexual violence, intimate partner violence and human trafficking. The task force says one of the goals is to raise community awareness of what constitutes gender-based violence. 

“We don’t want to reinvent the wheel, but we do want to say:‘What is important for Richmond?’ ” McDowell said. 

The resolution also recognizes Nov. 25 as the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women and begins the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, both of which are part of a worldwide initiative spearheaded by UN Women to eliminate violence against women and girls. 

A 2024 United Nations report found that violence against women is “the most pervasive human rights violation” and 85,000 women were killed intentionally in 2023.

The resolution, brought forward by council member Soheila Bana, who is also part of the task force, initially included having the city manager work with the task force to develop action items and commit to a report in February outlining those outcomes. But some council members, including council member Doria Robinson, said those steps were “too soon” and the follow-up report was already part of the resolution. 

Another problem council members saw was the staffing request in the resolution, which asked for one staff liaison to work with the task force over the next six months. Council member Cesar Zepeda wondered if there was enough staff to support that request. 

“Currently, we do not know who that person will be,” said Deputy City Manager Nickie Mastay.“We are booked solid.” 

Bana clarified that the staff person would only attend a few meetings and commit a few additional hours to support the task force. 

Mastay said she’d speak with City Manager Shasa Curl about what they could work out.

Council members passed the resolution 6-0 with council member Melvin Willis absent. 

The next Richmond City Council meeting is on Dec. 3.