Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson would like to remind all New Yorker’s that while October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a critical time set aside for raising awareness and promoting advocacy, it is really an issue that must be considered and focused on throughout the year.
In 1995, the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV) convened several national domestic violence organizations to launch a new effort to support domestic violence programs’ awareness and education efforts for Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). The collaborative effort became the Domestic Violence Awareness Project (DVAP).
“Domestic violence is a worldwide epidemic that must be fought through education, legislation, community awareness and support programs,” said Senator Hassell-Thompson. “Having access to the proper resources and information will help to assist survivors as they transition into an emotionally and physically safer haven.”
The statistics are staggering:
· Every 9 seconds in the US a woman is assaulted or beaten.
· Around the world, at least one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime.
· 92% of women surveyed listed reducing domestic violence and sexual assault as their top concern.
· Up to 10 million children witness some form of domestic violence annually.
· Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women—more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined.
Senator Hassell-Thompson concluded, “Although the recognition of domestic violence has finally entered into our society’s mainstream vocabulary, there is still much work to be done. I have sponsored and supported many legislative initiatives to significantly enhance domestic violence survivors’ safety, improve state services available, and strengthen penalties against those who inflict the pain of domestic violence on others. While some of these bills have become law, there are still major gaps left in our criminal justice system that far too often fails to acknowledge the extreme pain and abuse victims often endure for years. I will not stop fighting for these victims just as I will continue to advocate for the passage of my legislation, the “Domestic Violence Survivor’s Justice Act.”
While October is recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the http://dvam.vawnet.org/ web site is a year-round resource which is proud to support public and prevention education efforts to the general public.
###
