Oakland, California, is located across the bay from San Francisco and is the largest city in Alameda County. Oakland is a richly diverse city with a history of activism.
430,553
13 m
144.86 km 2
Created in 2017, the City of Oakland’s Department of Violence Prevention (DVP) is charged with reducing group violence, intimate partner violence, and commercial sexual exploitation in Oakland. To do this, the DVP invests in immediate crisis response services and near-term interventions that focus on stabilizing victims and preventing additional violence.
The DVP also invests in longer-term, intensive support services for individuals caught in cycles of violence. The DVP performs three primary functions: 1) Supervise and deploy a team of direct service staff who perform intensive life coaching and violence interruption work with individuals at highest risk of imminent violence, 2) Fund community organizations to deliver violence intervention and healing services to community members impacted by violence, 3) Convene and build capacity among community organizations that form the ecosystem of violence intervention services in Oakland.
Oakland consistently grapples with high crime rates, most notably shootings and homicides. In addition, due to its geographic location, close to several larger cities (San Francisco and San Jose), multiple major freeways, and the port, Oakland is considered a hub for human trafficking in California and the United States.
In the current fiscal year, the DVP receives approximately $24 million dollars and US$16 million of that funds grants to community-based organizations working to provide services to individuals and communities most impacted by violence.
individuals served in FY 22-23
violence mediations
gender-based violence victims/survivors provided with legal support
