Background
The Mayor's Office for Victims' Rights (MOVR) was created by voters in 2022 through Proposition D. In 2024, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed legislation to provide funding and staff for MOVR. This legislation also moved the Office on Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) from the Human Rights Commission to MOVR. MOVR is:
- An independent department created to enforce and advance crime victims' rights
- Designed to strengthen the system of victim support across San Francisco
- Focused on making sure that government uses its powers to better serve victims and survivors
Our mission
MOVR's mission is to:
- Advance and enforce victims’ legal rights
- Make sure victims are treated fairly in criminal legal system
- Build a strong system of services for victims/survivors with a focus on:
- Gender-based violence
- Sexual assault
- Elder abuse
- Hate crimes
- Ensure support for victims who face added barriers due to language, culture, or immigration status
Our vision
We envision a city where all crime victims and survivors receive the financial, physical, emotional, and psychological help they need. We work towards a future where victim-centered support and resources are available to everyone, regardless of whether law enforcement is involved or not.
Our work
Direct advocacy and warm referrals: we help victims and survivors who either haven’t yet contacted law enforcement, or do not want to go through the criminal legal system, but need social or legal services
- Receive and act on complaints: we listen to victims who feel their rights have been violated and work with nongovernmental organizations, city agencies, and law enforcement to help resolve the complaint
- Prevent victimization: we work with community groups and government partners to raise awareness and provide tools to help prevent or reduce victimization
- Identify patterns for change: based on our work with victims/survivors, service providers, city agencies, and law enforcement, we identify problems and patterns in the support system and develop policies or legal solutions to fix them
Why our work matters
MOVR plays an important role in the public safety ecosystem. Over 70% of crime victims do not report to the police, but still need support. Some of the reasons victims do not report include:
- Mistrust of law enforcement
- Not understanding how the legal system works
- Fear of being hurt again or re-traumatization
- Not knowing their rights (like Marsy's Law)
- Difficulty getting help because of language or cultural differences