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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
COOK COUNTY RECOGNIZES OCTOBER 2026 AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH (DVAM)
WHEREAS, Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) is observed nationally each October to raise awareness of domestic violence and its impact on individuals, families, and communities, with Congress formally recognizing the observance in 1989; and
WHEREAS, Domestic Violence Awareness Month provides an opportunity to uplift the voices, experiences, and resilience of survivors, educate the public about domestic violence, and strengthen support for individuals and families affected by abuse; and
WHEREAS, domestic violence is a pattern of physical, sexual, psychological, or emotional abuse, threats, intimidation, isolation, or economic coercion used by one person to establish and maintain power and control over another within a dating, familial, or household relationship; and
WHEREAS, intimate partner violence can occur at any stage of a relationship and affects individuals of all ages, racial and ethnic backgrounds, gender identities, sexual orientations, socioeconomic statuses, and religious affiliations; and
WHEREAS, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men experience sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime; and
WHEREAS, women between the ages of 18 and 24 experience particularly high rates of intimate partner violence, underscoring the importance of early intervention, education, and prevention efforts; and
WHEREAS, access to a firearm in an abusive relationship substantially increases the risk of a fatal outcome, making effective firearm-removal protections an essential component of domestic violence prevention and survivor safety; and
WHEREAS, according to National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1 in 15 children in the United States is exposed to intimate partner violence each year, and approximately 90% of these children are eyew...
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