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5 <br /> WHEREAS, in North Carolina, according to the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic <br /> Violence, at least 73 individuals were murdered by a current or former intimate partner in 2023 <br /> and at least 63 have been murdered so far in 2024; and <br /> WHEREAS, at least two Orange County residents have been murdered so far this year by a <br /> current or former intimate partner or family member; and <br /> WHEREAS, Compass Center, the state-designated domestic violence service provider for <br /> Orange County, serves more than 1,300 survivors of domestic violence each year through its 24- <br /> hour domestic violence crisis line, support groups, court and community advocacy, Latinx <br /> programs, career and financial counseling, and other services and engages thousands more in <br /> prevention education and outreach; and <br /> WHEREAS, Compass Center has collaborated with numerous local agencies over the last two <br /> years to bring the Lethality Assessment Protocol (LAP) Program to Orange County, which trains <br /> first responders to screen for lethality risk factors and directly connect highest-risk victims to the <br /> Compass Center, and is now receiving on-scene referrals from LAP-trained officers with the <br /> Orange County Sheriff's Office, and the Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough police <br /> departments; and <br /> WHEREAS, preventing domestic violence requires the collective awareness, care, and action of <br /> individuals, institutions, and systems to transform our communities through social norms, policies, <br /> and laws that reject violence and abuse and promote healthy relationships based on respect, <br /> trust, and equity; <br /> NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners, do hereby <br /> proclaim October 2024 to be: <br /> "Domestic Violence Awareness Month" <br /> and encourage the residents of Orange County to observe this time in ways appropriate to its <br /> importance and significance. <br /> Proclaimed this the 1 st day of October, 2024. <br /> Jamezetta Bedford, Chair <br /> Orange County Board of Commissioners <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Hamilton, seconded by Vice-Chair Greene, to <br /> approve and authorize the Chair to sign the proclamation. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> Rachel Mandell and Cay Stratton, Compass Center Board members, thanked the Board <br /> for adopting this proclamation. Rachel Mandell said as prevalent as domestic violence is, there is <br /> still a silence around it. She said being able to talk about it in this open forum is important and <br /> they appreciate the Board's time and commitment to this. She said the Compass Center has seen <br /> an over 40% increase in the number of people calling the hotline, 200% increase in the number <br /> of people calling about housing crises, and almost 100% increase in the number of people <br /> responding to the Spanish speaking services. She said she hopes the Board will also recognize <br />