[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 143 (Wednesday, October 5, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 5, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                           DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, in connection with violence, domestic 
violence is the leading cause of serious injury to women, more common 
than muggings and car crashes combined. A woman is beaten every 9 
seconds in the United States of America. Four million American women 
were beaten by their husbands or boyfriends in the last year alone. At 
least 25 percent of domestic violence victims are pregnant when beaten. 
Close to half of all the incidents of domestic violence against women 
discovered in the national crime survey were not reported to the 
police. And violent youth are four times more likely to come from homes 
in which their fathers beat their mothers, than are nonviolent youth.
  By the way, Mr. President, I also have not talked to a judge or a 
police chief or sheriff who has not said to me, ``Senator,'' or, 
``Paul, we will not stop the violence in the neighborhoods and the 
communities unless we stop it in the homes.''
  Mr. President, I started out with the statistics because October is 
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In recognition of this 
occasion, I would like to call to the attention of this body an art 
exhibit in the rotunda of the Russell Senate Office Building. This 
exhibition includes portraits of domestic violence survivors, and it 
provides a ``window of understanding'' into the strength and the hopes 
of battered women nationwide.
  Mr. President, the organization which assembled this collection, ``A 
Window Between Worlds,'' is an extraordinary, nonprofit program which 
is dedicated to bringing the healing power of the creative arts to 
women who are the victims of domestic violence. This display is the 
culmination of a tour which has brought 31 exhibitions to 18 States. 
Throughout this journey, ``A Window Between Worlds'' has assisted 
domestic violence facilities in using art as a resource for survivors, 
helping to establish 18 new ongoing art programs for battered women 
across the country.
  Mr. President, Sheila and I decided to invite Cathy Salser. Each 
October we have invited artists and those that have been down in the 
trenches, that have been struggling with this issue to come to 
Washington. We decided to invite Cathy Salser and ``A Window Between 
Worlds'' to Washington and display it in the Russell Senate Office 
Building because we believe that it is critical to bring this reality 
face to face with the decisionmakers and the leaders in this Nation.
  We did that with the ``Silent Witness'' December play from Minnesota 
last year, and many of my colleagues came by and saw that and commented 
to me how important it was to them in personal terms. These paintings 
that Cathy Salser has done are such powerful lobbyists. In fact, I 
think they are the most powerful lobbyists. I do not think any of us 
will be able to put the issue of domestic violence in categories.
  Mr. President, I could go on and on about this exhibit. I will just 
make three final points.
  Through art, ``A Window Between Worlds'' guides battered women to 
discover safe ways to rebuild their own self-worth and hope for the 
future. It is empowering for those women. I want to commend ``A Window 
Between Worlds'' and Cathy Salser for providing this unique empowering 
resource for battered women and for assisting domestic violence 
programs nationwide to be able to use this as an effective tool for 
women to be able to rebuild their lives.
  Finally, Mr. President, I would like to thank all of the survivors in 
the United States of America of domestic violence who have made this 
exhibition possible by courageously sharing their lives through this 
art. In doing so, those courageous women have offered us ``A Window 
Between Worlds,'' which provides us an opportunity to gain a new 
understanding of this tragedy, a new insight into the hopes of the 
victims, and a new respect for their strength and will as they rebuild 
their lives.
  It is only through this kind of exhibition now in the Russell Office 
Building rotunda that we can continue as decisionmakers to face the 
reality of what is happening to our country, the violence that none of 
us approve of, violence that will have to ultimately be dealt with at 
the community level but violence that we can make an enormous 
contribution toward lessening and ending by coming up with creative 
programs, working with people throughout the country, and enacting good 
public policy that will make a very positive difference in the lives of 
women, of children, and, yes, finally, Mr. President, of men as well.
  I have to tell you that I think the most empowering thing I have ever 
seen in Minnesota besides the strength of some of these women who in 
the face of unbelievable pain and suffering have had the strength to 
come forward, the strength to rebuild their lives, is the fact that in 
communities, especially where Sheila has gone throughout the State of 
Minnesota, men come to those meetings and they talk about what it is 
that they can do to help. They ask what they can do to help.
  I say to my colleague from Indiana, who I know cares a great deal 
about this issue, it is great to see the law enforcement community and 
ministers come, and I think people are aware. Once upon a time we used 
to say it is nobody's business. We do not believe that any longer. I 
think this display is extremely important. And I hope that my 
colleagues will be able to drop by to the rotunda of the Russell Senate 
Office Building to see this fine work by Cathy Salser and ``A Window 
Between Worlds.''
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. COATS addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from Indiana.

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