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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />PROCLAMATION TO RECOGNIZE <br />October 2008 AS <br />DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH IN ORANGE COUNTY <br />2 <br />WHEREAS, domestic violence is a pattern of coercion and control in an intimate <br />partner relationship where one person uses violence to gain power and <br />control over their partner; and <br />WHEREAS, domestic violence includes not only physical, but also mental abuse, <br />emotional abuse, financial abuse, isolation and sexual abuse; and <br />WHEREAS, according to a Commonwealth Fund Survey Survey, nearly 31 percent of <br />American women report being raped and/or physically assaulted by a <br />current or former spouse, partner, or date at some time in their lifetime; <br />' and <br />WHEREAS, in North Carolina, according to the North Carolina Coalition Against <br />Domestic Violence, over 500 women, men, and children have been <br />murdered as a result of domestic violence since January 1 2002; and <br />WHEREAS, in North Carolina, according to the North Carolina Council for <br />Women/Domestic Violence Commission, domestic violence agencies <br />responded to over 119,348 crisis calls and provided services to over <br />48,173 victims last year; and <br />WHEREAS, according to the Women's Institute for Leadership Development for <br />Human Rights, high rates of poverty, poor education, limited job <br />resources, language barriers, and fear of deportation increases the <br />difficulty in finding help and support services for women of color; and <br />WHEREAS, prevention strategies involve collaborations by multiple partners to <br />promote social norms, policies, and laws that support gender equity and <br />foster intimate partnerships based on mutual respect, equality, and trust; <br />and <br />WHEREAS, the key to prevention is focusing on first-time perpetration and first-time <br />victimization; <br />NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that we, the Orange County Board of <br />Commissioners, do hereby proclaim October 2008 as Domestic Violence <br />Awareness Month in Orange County and encourage residents to show <br />support for victims and survivors of domestic violence and to send the <br />message we are community working together to end this violence. <br />This the 7th day of October 2008. <br />Barry Jacobs, Chair <br />Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />