Stay Safe Contra Costa

Domestic Violence Restraining Orders
&
Gun Relinquishment in Contra Costa County

Guns Make Domestic Violence Deadly

Some domestic violence (DV) situations greatly increase the risk to a victim. In the United States, 53% of female homicides are DV-related. Women murdered by an intimate partner are more likely to be killed with a firearm than by all other means combined.

“High Danger” DV situations risk factors include:

Guns. When a perpetrator has access to a gun, it is 20 times more likely that their victim will die by homicide.
Strangulation. When a perpetrator “chokes” a victim or blocks their airway, brain injury or death can occur within minutes or days. In addition, the victim’s risk of dying by homicide in the future goes up 750%.¹
Threats. When a perpetrator threatens to kill their victim, it is 15 times more likely that person will be killed.
Escalating DV. When incidents of DV increase in number and frequency, the risk of death also grows.
Leaving. Attempting to leave an abusive relationship is the most dangerous time for victims.

Domestic Violence Deaths are Preventable

Connecting with a DV advocate can sometimes be the difference between life and death. Proven prevention and intervention strategies include: having first responders trained in DV lethality risk assessments, participating in safety planning, crisis intervention, and connecting to services like physical and mental health care, emergency shelter, legal help, and other community resources.²

Contra Costa County Takes Action:

Between 2010 and 2023, there were 122 domestic violence-related homicides or suicides in Contra Costa County. Of these, gunshot wounds were the most frequent cause of death (59%). For more information on domestic violence in Contra Costa, visit this page.

Intimate partner and family violence affect our whole community, and Contra Costa is creating a countywide response. Contra Costa County brings together staff from the District Attorney’s Office, Employment and Human Services Department, Legal Aid, Public Defender’s Office, Probation Department, health providers, and domestic violence, child abuse and human trafficking organizations to create plans to help victims of DV. These collaborative efforts include a Domestic Violence Multidisciplinary Team to review high risk cases, a Domestic Violence Death Review Team, and a Strangulation Task Force. Teams meet on an ongoing basis to collaborate on high-risk cases and develop preventive strategies.

Need more help?

In Contra Costa County, prevention and intervention help is available. Click in the boxes below to find out more information:

For a directory of Domestic Violence Organizations in California, click here.

Find more information and resources for DV survivors and service providers at endinggv.org

¹ 11 Glass, et al (2008). Non-fatal strangulation is an important risk factor for homicide of women. The Journal of Emergency Medicine, 35(3), 329-335.
² EFSGV, (2018). Female Homicide in the United States, A Translation of CDC Research. efsgv.org