TITLE
Title
PROCLAIM OCTOBER 2015 AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION AWARENESS MONTH
end
SPONSOR
Sponsor
Commissioner Cashion
end
PROCLAMATION
Proclamation
WHEREAS, domestic violence is a pattern of control in an intimate relationship where one person uses coercion and violence to gain power and control over his or her partner; and
WHEREAS, domestic violence includes not only physical abuse, but also mental abuse, emotional abuse, financial abuse, isolation, and sexual violence; and
WHEREAS, intimate partner violence does not discriminate; and
WHEREAS, the national average shows more than three women are murdered by intimate partner in this country every day; and
WHEREAS, in 2014, the North Carolina Department of Justice reported that 64 women, men, and children were murdered in domestic violence-related homicides in our state; with Guilford County reporting 8 domestic violence related deaths in 2014; and
WHEREAS, locally, Family Service of the Piedmont responded to approximately 2,536 crisis line calls in the last fiscal year and the Greensboro and High Point Police Departments along with the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office collectively reported responding to over 12,452 calls for service involving domestic violence; and
WHEREAS, the Guilford County Department of Social Services received more than 5,636 reports of child abuse and neglect during FY2015 in which 3% of those reports listed domestic violence as a primary threat to the household; and
WHEREAS, it is estimated that anywhere between 3.3 million and 10 million children witness domestic violence annually; and
WHEREAS, children who witness domestic violence are more likely to transmit violent behavior from one generation to the next and are more likely to exhibit behavioral and physical health problems, and
WHEREAS, through a unique community partnership, the Guilford County Family Justice Center (FJC) has served approximately 1,200 citizens in crisis since its opening in mid-June 2015; and successfully brought together agencies throughout the County to provide victims with easier access to comprehensive resources in a single location through a coordinated collaborative effort, which has empowered family violence victims to live free from violence and abuse, and hold offenders accountable; and
WHEREAS, by working together and promoting awareness in this community we can protect the vulnerable, stop the violence, restore hope, and make our community safer for everyone.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Guilford County Board of Commissioners that it does hereby proclaim October 2015, as “DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH” and urges our citizens to increase their awareness and education of this destructive force which deeply affects a large number of families in our State and local community each year, and to become part of the efforts to stop violence in families. We ask everyone to play an active role in preventing and ending domestic violence, by stepping up to stop violence and reporting incidents when they see them. During National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we recommit to making sure that no one suffers alone, and to assisting those who need help in reaching a safer tomorrow.
end
REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
Proclaim October 2015 as Domestic Violence Prevention Awareness Month in Guilford County.
end