[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 4, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                    NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MONTH

                                 ______


                         HON. OLYMPIA J. SNOWE

                                of maine

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 4, 1994

  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of the victims of domestic 
violence and abuse to commemorate October as National Domestic Violence 
Month. Domestic violence in this country is a silent scourge. It is the 
leading cause of injury to women aged 15-44, according to recent 
research by the surgeon general and the American Medical Association.
  In this country, a woman is physically abused every 9 seconds. More 
women are severely injured by beatings than by car accidents, rapes and 
muggings combined. Almost four million women are physically battered 
every year, and two-thirds of the attacks are committed by someone a 
woman knows, often a husband or boyfriend.
  And for every woman who is assaulted, there are thousands who must 
live with the fear of assault. This fear forces women across America to 
alter their lifestyles, often at significant cost and inconvenience. 
Every single day, women must consciously think about how to maximize 
their safety, and that of their children.
  Domestic violence is terrorism that spans generations. Seventeen 
percent of women interviewed in public prenatal clinics reported being 
assaulted during pregnancy. Battering is learned behavior that has been 
accepted over time. Violent youth are four times more likely to come 
from homes in which their fathers beat their mothers than are 
nonviolent youth.
  Domestic violence is everyone's business. As Co-chair of the 
Congressional Caucus for Women, I worked for passage of the Violence 
Against Women Act, which establishes a toll-free domestic violence 
hotline, provides funds for strengthening legal advocacy programs for 
victims and educating judges about domestic violence. The Violence 
Against Women Act also creates Federal penalties for anyone who travels 
across State lines and violates a protection order or injures their 
spouse or partner.
  Domestic violence is not a private crime. More than one in three 
Americans have witnessed an incident of domestic violence, according to 
a survey conducted last year by the Family Violence Prevention Fund. 
People can make a difference. Instead of remaining silent, provide 
help. If you see or hear an assault, call the police. If you know 
someone who is being abused, listen and provide support. Let her know 
that physical violence is never acceptable in any relationship. Explain 
that domestic violence is a crime.
  Let us all remember the victims of domestic violence during October, 
National Domestic Violence Month, and work toward the eradication of 
this heinous crime.

                          ____________________