Angela Ibarra, Victim Services Coordinator at the City Attorney’s Office Domestic Violence Unit received the Andrea O’Donnell Award from the San Diego Domestic Violence Council. Angela was nominated and voted by the San Diego community to receive the award.
The award was presented to Angela on October 9th at the Not to Be Forgotten Rally, HOPE in the Park event to honor domestic violence awareness month and to remember those that have died as a result of domestic violence. The Andrea O’Donnell Award is given each year to an outstanding champion for victims of domestic violence in the San Diego community to honor the kindness, warmth, glowing energy and dedication to activism.
We are extremely proud of Angela and her professionalism and empathy in working with victims of domestic violence,” said City Attorney Jan Goldsmith. “Our Victim Services Coordinators are crucial to the prosecution process and are most often the first contact with the domestic violence victim to support and provide information throughout the process.”
Victim Services Coordinators assist victims with safety planning, connecting them to services that can help with shelter placement, counseling, obtaining a restraining order and other resources. They explain the progress of the case, what to expect at trial and often accompany victims to the hearings.
The Domestic Violence Unit, led by Chief Deputy City Attorney Kathleen McManus, is responsible for the prosecution of all misdemeanor domestic violence, elder abuse, and child abuse cases occurring with the City of San Diego, 4S Ranch and Poway. The unit’s mission is to maintain victim safety while holding batterers accountable for their actions and providing aggressive, comprehensive and early prosecution of domestic violence cases.