Domestic Violence

Jury Acquits Man Who Bit Partner's Forehead

On November 11, the San Francisco Police Department responded to a call from a gay man who said his partner had abused him. When police arrived and found Bejamin Schalit, 50, with crescent-shaped bite marks on his forehead, they arrested the partner, Jeremy Womack, 33, and the district att ... More >>

News You Can Use: No, Virginia, There Is No Increase in Domestic Violence on Super Bowl Sunday

Put on a shirt and keep your hands to yourself!Every year around this time, you hear two sickening things about the Super Bowl: A nationwide halftime stampede to the toilet overwhelms local sewage plants;A nationwide orgy of beer-drinking and high-stakes football induces a cavalcade of domestic viol ... More >>

Dog Bites

Put on a shirt and keep your hands to yourself!Every year around this time, you hear two sickening things about the Super Bowl: A nationwide halftime stampede to the toilet overwhelms local sewage plants;A nationwide orgy of beer-drinking and high-stakes football induces a cavalcade of domestic viol ... More >>

Politics didn't play into decision not to prosecute domestic violence case, DA says

Put on a shirt and keep your hands to yourself!Every year around this time, you hear two sickening things about the Super Bowl: A nationwide halftime stampede to the toilet overwhelms local sewage plants;A nationwide orgy of beer-drinking and high-stakes football induces a cavalcade of domestic viol ... More >>

Home Life in Hell

An abusive marriage crumbles to pieces in the riveting Take My Eyes

Kamala's Karma

She's smart, she's experienced, and she's running for DA. But she's Willie Brown's ex-girlfriend, and her opponents are trying to crucify her for that.

Best Batterer Betterer

Hamish Sinclair

Founder, Manalive

The Last Hope

A new law gives one more chance at freedom to abused women sent to prison for killing their batterers

General Excellence

Groundbreaking programs at San Francisco General Hospital may well change the way the entire U.S. health care system deals with domestic violence. To understand why, you have to understand Dr. Beth Kaplan.

Shelter from the Storm

Should the U.S. give asylum to victims of domestic violence? A Mission District woman's case may help decide that question.

Letters to the Editor

Got It; Got It; Didn't Get It; Female Cracker Morons Who Maim; Ounce of Prevention; Our Apologies, John; The Oddest Clarification We've Published This Year

The Land of Blood & Money

Foreign workers coming into the country for high-paying tech jobs often bring wives with them. When these women are beaten and abused, they have nowhere to run.

Letters

Foreign workers coming into the country for high-paying tech jobs often bring wives with them. When these women are beaten and abused, they have nowhere to run.

Glass Slipper Sister

Foreign workers coming into the country for high-paying tech jobs often bring wives with them. When these women are beaten and abused, they have nowhere to run.

Cothran

Foreign workers coming into the country for high-paying tech jobs often bring wives with them. When these women are beaten and abused, they have nowhere to run.

Cant Help Loving That Man

The Sirens probes the dark mystery of why women stay with abusive husbands

Aisle Seat

The Sirens probes the dark mystery of why women stay with abusive husbands

Casualties of War

Babies get burned on the battlefield of love in Ladybird

A Woman's Lot

Dolores Claiborne serves up "three square meals of bitching"

Asylum for Battered Women -- a Question Raised by a San Francisco Case a Decade Ago -- Gets Obama Administration as an Advocate

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has paved the way for battered women from countries where such abuse is widely accepted to be granted asylum in the United States. The DHS declared its opinion in a court filing of an asylum case of a Mexican woman only referred as L.R., who was denied by a ... More >>

Moby Donates Cali Revenue to Domestic Violence Shelters

​Moby has to be one of the world's richest DJs--all those years licensing Play to every audio and visual outlet possible literally paid off. So when he hits the road now, he can choose to make his money count--by, for example, donating big chunks of it to needy non-profits.When the bald producer h ... More >>

Givin' Back to Cali

​Moby has to be one of the world's richest DJs--all those years licensing Play to every audio and visual outlet possible literally paid off. So when he hits the road now, he can choose to make his money count--by, for example, donating big chunks of it to needy non-profits.When the bald producer h ... More >>

Matt Barnes, Former Warrior, Booked for Domestic Violence

Matt Barnes, self-described 'victim'​Matt Barnes, the former Golden State Warriors team captain -- and San Francisco Pro-Am champ -- has notified his Twitter followers he's not guilty of felony domestic violence. The current Los Angeles Laker claims, rather, that he is the victim in a confrontatio ... More >>

Jeff Adachi, San Francisco's Public Defender, Wins 71 Percent of Domestic Violence Trials

A convincing man​Jeff Adachi might not have convinced voters to pass pension reform last year, but he is certainly proving he's good at persuading juries in the courtroom. A new report suggests that the public defender won 48 percent of his cases last year -- an increase for the third year in a ro ... More >>

SF Domestic Violence Case Dropped; Woman Lied

The truth is the best self defense ​Last week, Public Defender Jeff Adachi was bragging about his winning streak in court; he had won 48 percent of his cases that went to trial last year. Today, he announced another pleasurable victory -- one that he and the District Attorney's Office share. A dom ... More >>

Fiona Ma Targets Domestic Violence Among Teens

Nothing glamorous about violence.​What we know about the 2009 gang rape of a Richmond High School student at prom is that it's not an isolated event. Domestic violence among teens is on the rise, and Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco) is attempting to draw attention to this disturbing trend. ... More >>

California Family Courts Helping Pedophiles, Batterers Get Child Custody

Nothing glamorous about violence.​What we know about the 2009 gang rape of a Richmond High School student at prom is that it's not an isolated event. Domestic violence among teens is on the rise, and Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco) is attempting to draw attention to this disturbing trend. ... More >>

SF Weekly Letters

Nothing glamorous about violence.​What we know about the 2009 gang rape of a Richmond High School student at prom is that it's not an isolated event. Domestic violence among teens is on the rise, and Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco) is attempting to draw attention to this disturbing trend. ... More >>

Parental Alienation: A 'Mythical Legal Argument'

PAS: Mad science?​Slate published an excellent story this week on the battle over whether to include the theory of "Parental Alienation Syndrome" in the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Like almost every other informed and disinterested observer who has as ... More >>

Will Julius Turman's Domestic Violence Case Hurt His Chances of Becoming S.F. Police Commissioner?

Julius Turman ​It's fair to assume every politician has skeletons in the closet -- Eliot Spitzer and his prostitute, Arnold Schwarzenegger and his lovechild.And then there is Julius Turman, a local lawyer, ambitious community activist, and a fixture in the Castro's gay community. While Turman isn' ... More >>

In San Francisco, Elder Abuse Is the Perfect Crime

Yes, that's a crime​If you rob or beat up an elderly person in San Francisco, your chances of being convicted are fewer than one in 100, according to data in a recent city report on how local law enforcement addresses family violence."It couldn't be better if you're a predator," said Prescott Cole ... More >>

S.F.P.D. Officers Finally Have E-Mail, But Department Still Lags in Tech

Yes, that's a crime​If you rob or beat up an elderly person in San Francisco, your chances of being convicted are fewer than one in 100, according to data in a recent city report on how local law enforcement addresses family violence."It couldn't be better if you're a predator," said Prescott Cole ... More >>

San Carlos Woman in Jail After Allegedly Stabbing Ex-Boyfriend's Pet Lizard to Death

Little man survives DV dispute​Update (10:30 a.m.): Sadly, the man's pet lizard died. Sometimes domestic disputes involve children and other times they involve pets. A San Carlos woman is in jail after she had it out with her ex-boyfriend and took a knife to his pet lizard. Police arrested 37-year ... More >>

Ross Mirkarimi, Sheriff-Elect, Investigated for Alleged Domestic Violence

​Today's news will make for an awkward swearing in for Sheriff-elect Ross Mirkarimi, who is reportedly at the center of a domestic violence police investigation. According to media reports, a neighbor called police over New Year's to report a domestic violence incident between Mirkarimi and his wi ... More >>

Ross Mirkarimi Update: Neighbor Who Reported Domestic Violence Helped Get New Sheriff Elected

Yesterday was the first time newly minted Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi talked publicly about allegations that he physically abused his wife, Eliana Lopez, in a New Year's Eve domestic violence dispute. Not surprisingly, Mirkarimi gave a flat-out "no" when asked whether he's ever hit his wife. He even hint ... More >>

Ross Mirkarimi Update: Allegations of Abuse "Out of Context." Say What?

Luke Thomas, Fog City JournalLa famille Mirkarimi​There was, understandably, much talk about the awkwardness of Ross Mirkarimi's Sunday inauguration as San Francisco sheriff. The progressive stalwart and former supervisor is facing allegations of domestic abuse; if things go badly for him he could ... More >>

Ross Mirkarimi Shocks Legal Scholars With Claim That Abuse Allegations Are "a Family Matter"

Luke Thomas, Fog City JournalSheriff Ross Mirkarimi and his wife, Eliana Lopez​Ross Mirkarimi is innocent. Of course he is -- he is innocent until proven guilty. It remains to be seen if District Attorney George Gascón will even  charge the sheriff with domestic abuse following a police repo ... More >>

Ross Mirkarimi Likely to be Charged in Alleged Domestic Violence Incident

The happy couple ​It appears the District Attorney's Office is poised to slap misdemeanor charges against newly minted sheriff, Ross Mirkarimi, who allegedly left a bruise on his wife's arm during a New Year's Eve domestic dispute. Despite the fact that Mirkarimi's wife, Eliana Lopez, has insisted ... More >>

Ross Mirkarimi Update: Domestic Violence Groups Call on Sheriff to Resign

So far the gig has been anything but fun​Update 2:25 p.m.: Staff writer Joe Eskenazi was at City Hall and gave us a puzzling detail about this afternoon's press conference: Mirkarimi's wife, Eliana Lopez, stood in the crowd among reporters and anti-domestic violence advocates who were calling on h ... More >>

Ross Mirkarimi's Wife Attends Anti-Ross Mirkarimi Rally

Luke Thomas, Fog City JournalEliana Lopez, Ross Mirkarimi's wife, stands with domestic violence activists calling for her husband to resign due to allegations he domestically abused her​A hastily assembled press conference pairing members of the media with greater numbers of anti-domestic violence ... More >>

Ross Mirkarimi to Face Three Misdemeanors, Sources Say

​Sources tell SF Weekly that elected sheriff Ross Mirkarimi is expected to hold a press conference today, responding to domestic violence charges leveled against him. A source tells SF Weekly that the District Attorney will file three charges against Mirkarimi, including battery and child endange ... More >>

Ross Mirkarimi to Appear in Court This Week

Luke Thomas​Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi was supposed to appear in court today, but his attorney is now telling reporters he will be arraigned Thursday on domestic violence charges. Mirkarimi was booked into his own county jail on Friday on three misdemeanor counts of battery, child endangerment, and at ... More >>

Chron Columnist Asks if SF Should Be Sanctuary City for Abusive Husbands

​As we all know, the Chron pays their "token conservative" Debra J. Saunders to espouse whatever ideals are contrary to those of San Francisco. In her column today, she takes on the issue of whether everyone is being a little too hard on Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi, who on Friday was charged with batte ... More >>

Ross Mirkarimi Update: Sheriff Goes "Ballistic" During Fight with Wife, Warrant Says

Photo by Luke ThomasThe sheriff and his wife ... in happier times​Police Interview Second Witness In Domestic Violence Incident A copy of Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi's arrest warrant was released to the media today, painting a disturbing picture of what allegedly took place between Mirkarimi and his wi ... More >>

Ross Mirkarimi Update: Prosecutors Read Alleged Text Messages from Wife, Judge Issues Stay Away Order

Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi appears in court ... for his own hearing​Update: (4:41 p.m.): Judge Susan Breall issues stay away order, barring Sheriff from seeing his family. Meanwhile, prosecutors read Eliana Lopez's text messages in court. Read updated story below.Original story: Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi ... More >>

Ross Mirkarimi's New Domestic Violence Complaint Could Loom Large in Pending Trial

While Ross Mirkarimi blinked, another accuser filed domestic violence charges​It's most certainly bad news for Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi that the question "Which one?" now applies to domestic violence complaints filed against him. And though the police report filed over the weekend by a woman ac ... More >>

Ross Mirkarimi's Lawyer: Sheriff Is "Bit of a Tyrant"

​If Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi was hoping to recast himself as a loving husband as part of his defense against domestic violence charges, his attorney, Robert Waggener, isn't doing anything to help paint that picture.  As the Chron notes today, Waggener, in front of a throng of cameras and report ... More >>

Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi Isolated His Wife, Prosecutors Say

The sheriff's mug shot ​The case against Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi is looking more grim today after prosecutors filed a motion in court, claiming the sheriff isolated his wife for more than 18 hours after he allegedly abused her during a domestic dispute. Mirkarimi has been accused of physically abus ... More >>

Domestic Violence Group to Feature Ross Mirkarimi Quote on Billboard

La Casa De Las Madres​When Ross Mirkarimi was elected sheriff, he had ambitious plans to influence the criminal justice system, although this billboard to the right probably isn't what he had in mind. However, after being charged with battery, endangering a child, and dissuading a witness, La Casa ... More >>

Domestic Violence Billboard Featuring Mirkarimi Quote to Go Up Next Week

Tell that Ross!​If ever there were a clear indication of how San Franciscans feel about Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi's domestic violence case, this is it. In less than a week, a local domestic violence group was able to rake in the $4,000 it needed for a billboard that will feature Mirkarimi's infamous ... More >>