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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
COOK COUNTY RECOGNIZES OCTOBER 2014 AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH
WHEREAS, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and a time to discuss and reflect on the negative impact domestic violence has on our world; and
WHEREAS, whether directly or indirectly, domestic violence affects every Cook County resident in some way. It's existence harms our communities, weakens the foundation of our society, and hurts those we love most. It is an affront to our basic decency and humanity, and it must end; and
WHEREAS, domestic violence is a pattern of physical and psychological abuse, threats, intimidation, isolation, or economic coercion used by one person to exert power and control over another person in the context of a dating, familial, or household relationship; and
WHEREAS, as reported in the Chicago Sun-Times, domestic battery accounted for almost 45,000 of more than 120,000 domestic disturbance 911 calls to the Chicago Police Department in 2013; and
WHEREAS, today, as 1 out of every 10 teenagers are physically hurt on purpose by someone they are dating, we seek to once again profoundly change our culture and reject the quiet tolerance of what is fundamentally unacceptable; and
WHEREAS, nearly two out of three Americans 15 years of age or older know a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault, and domestic violence homicides claim the lives of three women every day; and
WHEREAS, during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we acknowledge the progress made in reducing these shameful crimes, embrace the basic human right to be free from violence and abuse, and recognize that more work remains until every individual is able to live free from fear; and
WHEREAS, last month, our Nation marked the 20th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Before this historic law, domestic violence was seen by many as a lesser offense, and women in danger often had nowhere to go. But VAWA marked a turning point, and it slowly transformed the way people think about domestic abuse; and
WHEREAS, since VAWA's passage, domestic violence has dropped by almost two-thirds, but despite these strides, there is more to do; and
WHEREAS, when women and children are deprived of a loving home, legal protections, or financial independence because they fear for their safety, our community is denied its full potential; and
WHEREAS, this month, we recognize the survivors and victims of abuse whose courage inspires us all and we recommit to offering a helping hand to those most in need, and we remind them that they are not alone; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners officially recognizes October 2014 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and call on the Cook County community to join together and speak out against domestic violence, assist victims of these crimes in finding the help and healing they need, and reaffirm our commitment to ending domestic violence in our community.
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