Orange County NC Website
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> PROCLAMATION TO RECOGNIZE <br /> October 2008 AS <br /> DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH IN ORANGE COUNTY <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 work her to end t is viole <br /> This the 7th day of October 2008. <br /> Barry Jacobs, Chair <br /> Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />