Elizabeth Luna, Aliyah Campos, & Dr. Daniel Sandoval
Domestic violence, a pervasive societal concern, affects individuals irrespective of their socioeconomic standing. Examining the potential influence of socioeconomic status on the acquisition of restraining orders and support services is significant because legal protection for victims of domestic violence cannot be overstated. It serves as a crucial mechanism to safeguard their well-being, ensure justice, and break the cycle of abuse. The study’s relevance lies in its potential to contribute to a more equitable and effective legal response to domestic violence, ensuring that legal protections and support services are accessible to all individuals, regardless of their socioeconomic status. The study can uncover potential disparities in the ability of individuals from different socioeconomic backgrounds to access legal protections such as restraining orders and support services. Utilizing a quantitative approach, this study analyzes the demographics of specific communities to understand their socio-economic status in access to restraining orders and support services through Ventura County’s Family Justice Centers (VCFJC) Intake Packet data. We will be examining demographics such as age, ethnicity, gender, income, employment, and education. For income, employment, and education, we will be relying on census data. We anticipate that our study will reveal a significant correlation between lower socioeconomic status and decreased accessibility to obtaining restraining orders and support services in cases of domestic violence, highlighting systemic inequalities in access to legal and social resources for marginalized communities.