110 HRES 1394 IH: Applauding organizations that engage in the
U.S. House of Representatives
2008-07-31
text/xml
EN
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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
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.