[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 663 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 663

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Domestic Violence Awareness 
   Month and expressing the sense of the Senate that Congress should 
 continue to raise awareness of domestic violence in the United States 
 and its devastating effects on families and communities, and support 
              programs designed to end domestic violence.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 29, 2010

  Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Specter, Mr. 
 Kohl, Mr. Whitehouse, Ms. Landrieu, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Franken, Mr. 
Brown of Ohio, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Feingold, and 
 Mrs. Boxer) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                     the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Domestic Violence Awareness 
   Month and expressing the sense of the Senate that Congress should 
 continue to raise awareness of domestic violence in the United States 
 and its devastating effects on families and communities, and support 
              programs designed to end domestic violence.

Whereas National Domestic Violence Awareness Month will be observed during 
        October 2010;
Whereas domestic violence affects people of all ages and all racial, ethnic, 
        gender, economic, and religious backgrounds;
Whereas females are disproportionately victims of domestic violence, and 1 in 4 
        women will experience domestic violence at some point in her life;
Whereas, on average, more than 3 women are murdered by their husbands or 
        boyfriends in the United States every day;
Whereas, in 2007, 1,640 women were murdered by an intimate partner, and were the 
        victims of 70 percent of all intimate partner homicides that year;
Whereas women from 16 to 24 years of age experience the highest rates, per 
        capita, of intimate partner violence;
Whereas 1 out of 3 Native American women will be raped and 6 out of 10 will be 
        physically assaulted in their lifetimes;
Whereas, in 2003, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 
        the costs of intimate partner violence exceeded $8,300,000,000, 
        including the cost of medical care, mental health services, and lost 
        productivity;
Whereas \1/4\ to \1/2\ of domestic violence victims report that they have lost a 
        job due, at least in part, to domestic violence;
Whereas the annual cost of lost productivity due to domestic violence is 
        estimated at $727,800,000 with more than 7,900,000 paid workdays lost 
        per year;
Whereas some landlords deny housing to victims of domestic violence who have 
        protection orders or evict victims of domestic violence who seek help 
        after a domestic violence incident, such as by calling 911, or who have 
        other indications that they are domestic violence victims;
Whereas 92 percent of homeless women experience severe physical or sexual abuse 
        at some point in their lifetimes;
Whereas approximately 40 to 60 percent of men who abuse women also abuse 
        children;
Whereas it is critical to ensure that children who are exposed to domestic 
        violence are placed in the protective care of a responsible and loving 
        parent or guardian;
Whereas a study of over 17,000 adults by the Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention and Kaiser Permanente found that children who live with their 
        abusers are at high risk for grave medical, psychological, and 
        behavioral disorders and even death;
Whereas approximately 15,500,000 children are exposed to domestic violence every 
        year;
Whereas children exposed to domestic violence are more likely to attempt 
        suicide, abuse drugs and alcohol, run away from home, and engage in 
        teenage prostitution;
Whereas one large study found that men exposed to physical abuse, sexual abuse, 
        and adult domestic violence as children were almost 4 times more likely 
        than other men to have perpetrated domestic violence as adults;
Whereas nearly 1,500,000 high school students nationwide experienced physical 
        abuse from a dating partner in a single year;
Whereas 13 percent of teenage girls who have been in a relationship report being 
        hit or hurt by their partners and 1 in 4 teenage girls has been in a 
        relationship in which she was pressured by her partner into performing 
        sexual acts;
Whereas adolescent girls who reported dating violence were 60 percent more 
        likely to report one or more suicide attempts in the past year;
Whereas there is a need for middle schools, secondary schools, and post-
        secondary schools to educate students about the issues of domestic 
        violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking;
Whereas 88 percent of men in a national poll reported that they think that our 
        society should do more to respect women and girls;
Whereas a multi-State study shows conclusively that the domestic violence 
        shelters in the United States are addressing urgent and long-term needs 
        of victims and are helping victims protect themselves and their 
        children;
Whereas a 2009 National Census Survey reported that 65,321 adults and children 
        were served by domestic violence shelters and programs around the United 
        States in a single day and those same understaffed programs were unable 
        to meet 9,280 requests for help on that same day;
Whereas there is a need to support programs aimed at intervening and preventing 
        domestic violence in the United States; and
Whereas individuals and organizations that are dedicated to preventing and 
        ending domestic violence should be recognized: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Domestic 
        Violence Awareness Month; and
            (2) expresses the sense of the Senate that Congress should 
        continue to raise awareness of domestic violence in the United 
        States and its devastating effects on families and communities, 
        and support programs designed to end domestic violence.
                                 <all>