[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1394 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1394

  Applauding organizations that engage in the prevention of domestic 
    violence and provide outreach and support services for victims.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 31, 2008

Mr. Towns (for himself, Mr. Meeks of New York, Ms. Clarke, Mr. Weiner, 
  Mrs. Maloney of New York, Mr. Nadler, Ms. Velazquez, and Ms. Solis) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                         on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Applauding organizations that engage in the prevention of domestic 
    violence and provide outreach and support services for victims.

Whereas around the world, at least 1 in 3 women have been beaten, coerced into 
        sex, or otherwise abused, and 1 in 3 American women reports being 
        physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in 
        their lives;
Whereas in 2007, the New York City Police Department responded to 229,453 
        domestic violence incidents and 123,409 telephone calls were received by 
        the city's Domestic Violence Hotline;
Whereas in 2007, Brooklyn had the highest number of family-related homicides of 
        all the New York City boroughs;
Whereas women and families of all ages and racial, ethnic, economic, and 
        religious backgrounds are affected by domestic violence;
Whereas 30 percent of Americans say they know a woman who has been physically 
        abused by her husband or boyfriend in the past year;
Whereas as many as 324,000 women each year experience violence at the hands of 
        an intimate partner while pregnant;
Whereas the Family Violence Prevention Fund found teenage girls are victims of 
        sexual abuse and assault, with approximately 20 percent of female high 
        school students reporting physical or sexual abuse by a dating partner, 
        8 percent of high school females reporting they had been coerced into 
        having sex against their will, and 40 percent of high school females 
        knowing someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend;
Whereas between 2005 and 2007, over 37,000 telephone calls received by the New 
        York City Domestic Violence Hotline were made by adolescents and teens;
Whereas recent studies show children are also the victims of domestic violence, 
        with 50 percent of men who frequently abuse their wives also frequently 
        abusing their children and between 3,000,000 and 10,000,000 children 
        witness domestic violence in some form every year;
Whereas Sanctuary for Families provided direct service to over 3,100 families so 
        far this year, plus over 22,000 through outreach, education, training, 
        and hotline calls;
Whereas Sanctuary for Families has demonstrated remarkable perseverance and 
        success in serving domestic violence and trafficking victims and their 
        families as one of the largest nonprofit agencies in the State of New 
        York by providing a wide range of services, including shelter, 
        counseling, specialized services to children of domestic violence 
        victims, legal advice and representation, economic and housing 
        assistance, and a mentors program for survivors who speak publically and 
        educate others about domestic violence;
Whereas the New York City Family Justice Center in Brooklyn, New York, an 
        initiative of the Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence with lead 
        partner agency the Kings County District Attorney's Office, is dedicated 
        to reducing barriers faced by victims of domestic violence who are 
        seeking help, enabling victims to meet with a prosecutor, speak with a 
        trained counselor, and apply for housing and financial assistance, all 
        in their native language while their children play safely in the next 
        room;
Whereas the New York City Family Justice Center has representatives from 6 city 
        and State agencies, 14 community-based and civil legal organizations, 
        and universities that provide colocated, holistic services to victims of 
        domestic violence;
Whereas the New York City Family Justice Center provided service to 10,780 new 
        clients seeking domestic violence assistance from the onsite city 
        agencies, law enforcement, social and civil legal services, and other 
        partners, with an average of 1,000 clients visiting each month, and 
        2,845 children supervised in the children's room, Margaret's Place, 
        between July 20, 2005, and June 1, 2008;
Whereas Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A's Victim Support Program provides 
        invaluable services to women and families in Brooklyn and to the 
        community organizations that assist and support them through offering 
        legal assistance to survivors of domestic violence; promoting 
        empowerment, self-sufficiency, and economic independence; improving 
        victims' access to shelters, housing, and public assistance; and 
        addressing the needs of their children;
Whereas Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A is dedicated to the safety and 
        well-being of women and families in Brooklyn and working toward ending 
        domestic violence and the devastating impact it has on women, families, 
        and communities;
Whereas North Brooklyn Coalition Against Family Violence provides community-
        based services and creates a locally based support network to enable 
        survivors of domestic violence to negotiate the criminal justice system, 
        break the cycle of violence, and increase their capacity to take back 
        power and control their own lives so that they may safely remain in the 
        community, if they wish, or begin new lives elsewhere;
Whereas the North Brooklyn Coalition Against Family Violence has made invaluable 
        contributions to the borough, where it reduces the practical and 
        cultural barriers that often prevent victims from seeking or receiving 
        assistance from the criminal justice system; and
Whereas these organizations and all institutions that commendably work toward 
        domestic violence prevention and provide outreach and support for 
        victims of domestic violence should be applauded for their invaluable 
        contributions to the well-being of women, families, and communities: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) applauds the efforts of Sanctuary for Families, the New 
        York City Family Justice Center in Brooklyn, New York, Brooklyn 
        Legal Services Corporation A, the North Brooklyn Coalition 
        Against Family Violence, and all organizations that engage in 
        domestic violence prevention and provide outreach and support 
        services for victims of domestic violence; and
            (2) supports raising awareness about domestic violence and 
        its tragic consequences for women, families, and communities.
                                 <all>