Fiscal Note
No fiscal impact.
Title
Affirming Unwavering Support for Survivors of Domestic Violence and Abuse.
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, on a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide; and,
WHEREAS, the 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, data from the latest National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey indicates that 41% of women and 26% of men have experienced sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime and experienced an intimate partner violence-related impact; and,
WHEREAS, over 61 million women and 53 million men have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime; and,
WHEREAS, intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime and 72% of all murder-suicides; 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, in Wisconsin, in 2022, there were 96 lives lost in domestic partner homicides and, since 2000, there have been at least 1,268 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 2023, 40% of homicides were related to domestic violence in the City of Madison; and,
WHEREAS, in 2022, Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS) fielded 7,534 total calls and texts to their 24-hour help line and text line, with the average length of calls up nearly 20% from 2021; 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, 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 Services 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 Madison Common Council proudly affirms their unwavering support for survivors of domestic violence and abuse.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Madison Common Council stands alongside survivors with compassion and solidarity.