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Proclamation declaring the month of October 2015 to be “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” in Allegheny County.
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WHEREAS, domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior used to establish power and control over an intimate partner; and
WHEREAS, domestic violence impacts people of all ages, races, genders, and income levels; and
WHEREAS, one in every four women and one in every nine men will experience domestic violence in her or his lifetime; and
WHEREAS, the cost of intimate partner violence exceeds $5.8 billion each year, $4.1 billion of which is for direct medical and mental health services; and
WHEREAS, each year, domestic violence programs in Pennsylvania provide services to approximately 95,000 victims of domestic violence; and
WHEREAS, during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we encourage Allegheny County residents to work toward eliminating domestic violence in our community, and we recommit to doing everything in our power to uphold the basic human right to be free from violence and abuse;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Allegheny County Council does hereby declare the month of October 2015 to be “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” in Allegheny County, and we pledge our unwavering support of those in need and recognize the advocates, victim service providers, and organizations who work tirelessly to extend hope and healing to survivors and victims every day.