BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Bakersfield officials say violence prevention efforts cannot slow down as the city receives new funding aimed at reducing shootings and homicides.
The city recently secured a $5 million grant from the state’s Office of Violence Intervention and Prevention, marking the third round of funding for Bakersfield’s violence reduction program. City leaders say the money will support the next three years of work and expand the city’s response efforts.
For Jeanette Ganya, the issue is deeply personal.
Ganya said violence has affected her family for generations.
“From grandma to mom to me," she said. "But there’s other family members as well."
She said she once believed abusive relationships were normal and entered her first abusive relationship as a young adult.
“I thought it was a normal. Yes. And my first real abusive relations I was like 19, 20,” Ganya said.
After two abusive relationships and the birth of her twin sons, Ganya said she reached a turning point.
“I thought to myself, 'Is this something that I want to hand over to my sons?' and I wanted to change the whole cycle for my kids,” she said.
Ganya eventually went to a shelter, where she said she found resources and support that helped her rebuild her life.
City leaders say that same goal — interrupting cycles of violence before they turn deadly — drives Bakersfield’s violence intervention strategy.
City Manager Christian Clegg said the new grant will allow the city to expand its response capabilities.
“We’re actually going to be able to build out a little bit of the city’s team… We’re going to respond immediately to incidents,” Clegg said.
Officials say the nature of violence in Bakersfield is changing. While group and gang violence has decreased by about 9%, domestic and interpersonal violence has become a growing concern.
Crystal Rubio, assistant to the city manager and manager of the city’s Office of Violence Intervention and Prevention, said understanding data is key to addressing the shift.
“The way we describe it is basically our interpersonal is individuals that are not related… possibly a neighbor… Someone cut you off on the road,” Rubio said.
She said those cases can be more difficult to predict because many people involved do not have extensive criminal histories.
“Individuals do not have a history of multiple arrests… it’s just emotions… that one time, you know, crime of passion,” Rubio said.
As the city develops new strategies, Ganya said prevention should start early by teaching young people about healthy relationships and warning signs of abuse.
“I would start with the kids, the teenagers. Let them know what red flags are, what boundaries are, what is a healthy relationship,” she said.
From her perspective, education and awareness can change outcomes both in homes and across communities.
“You have to identify it first and then work on it if you want to change,” Ganya said.
Clegg said while the city continues to collect and analyze data, the work being done has shown a direct correlation with reductions in homicides.
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