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a Ceremonial Resolution
20-104
In the Council of the District of Columbia
September 17, 2013
To declare October 2013 as “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” in the District of Columbia.
WHEREAS, domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior used to exert power and control over an intimate partner;
WHEREAS, the dignity, safety, and well-being of all residents is the foundation of a vibrant and healthy community and intimate partner violence is an epidemic in the District of Columbia that impedes the welfare of all;
WHEREAS, an estimated one out of every 4 women will experience domestic violence at some point in her lifetime, and, based upon that, there may be as many as 75,000 victims of domestic violence residing in the District;
WHEREAS, in 2012, there was a 21% increase in the number of male victims in need of services at District of Columbia’s domestic violence intake centers;
WHEREAS, domestic violence does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, disability, socio-economic status, or race, although the District had a 63% increase in the number of victims who identified as Asian seeking assistance in 2012;
WHEREAS, all forms of domestic violence, including physical, psychological, emotional, and economic abuse, have devastating long-term effects on victims, and place a strain on the District’s legal and social services systems and overall resources;
WHEREAS, there was a 48% increase in the number of stalking victims who sought access to services in 2012;
WHEREAS, domestic violence is one of the leading causes of homelessness, victims and their families need access to safe and affordable housing, and 88% of unmet requests by victims for services in 2012 were related to the need for housing;
WHEREAS, domestic violence affects employment, resulting in 3 to 5 billion dollars’ worth of lost wages and reduced productivity each year;
WHEREAS, domestic violence has a major impact on children and teens, and building blocks of healthy relationships and consequences of abuse must be addressed both in schools and out;
WHEREAS, the District has taken important steps to help victims of domestic violence, by providing life-saving public emergency services, establishing 24-hour hotlines, and ensuring that high-quality services are available to every victim seeking help through the proactive efforts of the Office of Victim Services; and
WHEREAS, eradicating domestic violence requires the commitment and support of not only the government but continued public awareness, as well as acknowledgment and responsibility by and for all.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “Domestic Violence Awareness Month Recognition Resolution of 2013”.
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes the severity of the domestic violence crisis in the District of Columbia and continues to raise public awareness and bring this often hidden issue into the open, and declares October of 2013 as “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” in the District of Columbia.
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in the District of Columbia Register.
