Fiscal Note
It is expected that any costs associated with this resolution will be absorbed within existing resources. No 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, the Administration on Children and Families reports that one in three women and one in four men experience domestic 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, BIPOC individuals 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, in 2019, there were 52 domestic partner homicides in Wisconsin with 56% of these homicides being committed with a firearm; 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 have doubled from the previous year;
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.