Fiscal Note
No City appropriation required.
Title
Recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Body
WHEREAS, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, domestic violence, or intimate partner violence, is “a pattern of behaviors used by one partner to maintain power and control over another partner in an intimate relationship”; and,
WHEREAS, domestic violence can look very different on a case-to-case basis and includes physical violence, coercion, threats, intimidation, stalking, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, or economic abuse to control another partner in a relationship; and,
WHEREAS, domestic violence can be a single act or a pattern of behavior in all kinds of relationships, including dating, marriage, family, and roommate relationships; and,
WHEREAS, domestic violence is a public health issue that contributes to chronic health problems and often limits the ability of survivors to manage other chronic illnesses; and,
WHEREAS, domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness for women and children and the need for safe and affordable housing is one of the most pressing concerns for survivors; and,
WHEREAS, National Intimate Partner Sexual Violence Survey data reports that, on average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States, which equates to more than 10 million people per year; and,
WHEREAS, intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime; and,
WHEREAS, a study from the Newcomb Institute found that 60% of women and 45% of men will experience intimate partner violence at some point in their lifetime; and,
WHEREAS, one in fifteen children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year, and 90% of these children are eyewitnesses to this violence; and,
WHEREAS, one in two female murder victims and one in thirteen male murder victims are killed by an intimate partner; and,
WHEREAS, Black women are three times more likely than White women to die at the hands of their abuser; and,
WHEREAS, the number of women of color who are impacted by domestic violence is 30 to 50% higher than White women; and,
WHEREAS, according to the Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness, 80% of women with children experiencing homelessness were previously victims of domestic violence and, according to Safe Housing Partnerships, 57% of all women experiencing homelessness stated that domestic violence was the primary cause of their homelessness; and,
WHEREAS, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless, 45% of all domestic violence survivors had previously stayed with an abusive partner as a result of not having an alternative place to go; and,
WHEREAS, in Wisconsin, in 2025, there were 101 lives lost related to domestic and family violence and, since 2000, there have been at least 1,534 individuals killed in domestic violence homicides; and,
WHEREAS, in 2022, members of the Madison Police Department spent 13,312 hours on domestic disturbance calls; and,
WHEREAS, in Dane County, 30% of all homicide, sexual assault, and simple and aggravated assault offenses are perpetrated by an intimate partner; and,
WHEREAS, a 2015 study found that one in four women at the University of Wisconsin-Madison experience sexual assault since entering college; and,
WHEREAS, according to the 2022 UWPD Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, rapes on campus had doubled from the previous year; and,
WHEREAS, on a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide; and,
WHEREAS, in 2024, Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS) fielded 8,733 total calls and texts to their 24-hour help line and text line; and,
WHEREAS, there are various barriers to reporting, including a fear of retaliation from the abuser, concern about not being believed, the personal and emotional difficulty of sharing experiences of violence, and the desire to protect the abuser from legal consequences; and,
WHEREAS, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other people of color face unique challenges to reporting domestic violence, including a lack of service providers of similar backgrounds and language, as well as institutional racism within law enforcement and criminal justice systems; and,
WHEREAS, October serves to bring awareness to this extraordinarily prevalent issue that is present in every sector of our community, but those in this advocacy work year-around hold the vision that after supporting through crisis, there is the possibility of a safe and stable future; and,
WHEREAS, survivors of domestic violence deserve continuous and consistent support; and,
WHEREAS, certain, stable funding for organizations doing advocacy work allows for the skilled, trauma-informed staff to be retained and for independent networks to form to provide holistic services for survivors from crisis intervention to on-going healing and support, creating a safety net; and,
WHEREAS, each survivor uniquely leads the way in shaping their future free from violence, but one thing that is shared across many stories of rebuilding is that stability and safety begin with and are sustained by meeting fundamental human needs like access to food, job opportunities, and especially, safe housing; and,
WHEREAS, if you need help, there are several resources both locally and nationally that you can reach out to, including, but not limited to:
• DAIS: (608) 251-4445
• DAIS text line: (608) 420-4638
• UNIDOS La Red: 1-800-510-9195
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: Text “START” to 88788
• Rape Crisis Center: (608) 251-7273
• End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin: “Get Help” Page <https://www.endabusewi.org/get-help/>
• The African Center for Community Development: “Safe-Care Outreach” Page <https://africancentermadison.org/safe-care-program/>
• Freedom, Inc: “Our Services” Page <https://freedom-inc.org/index.php?page=our-services>
• The Rainbow Project: “Home” Page <https://www.therainbowproject.net/>
• Family Service Madison: “Our Services” Page <https://fsmad.org/index.php/services/>
• Latino Children & Families Council: “Home” Page <https://lcfcmadison.weebly.com/>
• Harmónia: Women's Voices Program: “Services” Page <https://harmonia-madison.com/services/>
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Madison Common Council and Mayor recognize October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that throughout the month of October, the City of Madison Common Council encourages staff to work to incorporate a survivor-centered approach to city-wide issues and proactively seek and implement programs, training, and services that stop domestic violence and abuse.