[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 181 (Thursday, November 2, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5342-S5343]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 448--SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL 
                   DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH

  Ms. BUTLER (for herself, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Murkowski, Ms.

[[Page S5343]]

Klobuchar, and Ms. Ernst) submitted the following resolution; which was 
considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 448

       Whereas, according to the National Intimate Partner and 
     Sexual Violence Survey--
       (1) up to 12,000,000 individuals in the United States 
     report experiencing intimate partner violence annually, 
     including physical violence, rape, or stalking; and
       (2) approximately 1 in 5 women in the United States and up 
     to 1 in 7 men in the United States have experienced severe 
     physical violence by an intimate partner at some point in 
     their lifetimes;
       Whereas, on average, 3 women in the United States are 
     killed each day by a current or former intimate partner, 
     according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics;
       Whereas domestic violence can affect anyone, but women who 
     are 18 to 34 years of age typically experience the highest 
     rates of domestic violence;
       Whereas survivors of domestic violence are strong, 
     courageous, and resilient;
       Whereas most female victims of intimate partner violence 
     have been victimized by the same offender previously;
       Whereas domestic violence is cited as a significant factor 
     in homelessness among families;
       Whereas millions of children are exposed to domestic 
     violence each year;
       Whereas a study has found that children who were exposed to 
     domestic violence in their households were 15 times more 
     likely to be physically or sexually assaulted in their 
     lifetime than other children who were not exposed to domestic 
     violence in their households;
       Whereas victims of domestic violence experience immediate 
     and long-term negative outcomes, including detrimental 
     effects on mental and physical health;
       Whereas research consistently shows that being abused by an 
     intimate partner increases an individual's likelihood of 
     substance use as well as associated harmful consequences;
       Whereas victims of domestic violence may lose several days 
     of paid work each year and may lose their jobs due to reasons 
     stemming from domestic violence;
       Whereas crisis hotlines serving domestic violence victims 
     operate 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, and offer 
     important crisis intervention services, support services, 
     information, and referrals for victims;
       Whereas staff and volunteers of domestic violence shelters 
     and programs in the United States, in cooperation with 56 
     State and territorial coalitions against domestic violence, 
     provide essential services to--
       (1) thousands of adults and children each day; and
       (2) 1,000,000 adults and children each year;
       Whereas domestic violence programs and hotlines have seen a 
     substantial increase in contacts since 2020, and continue to 
     experience a surge in requests for services, with the 
     National Domestic Violence Hotline averaging approximately 
     3,000 daily contacts in 2023, up from 800 to 1,200 average 
     daily contacts before the COVID-19 pandemic;
       Whereas nearly 85 percent of American Indian and Alaska 
     Native women have experienced some form of intimate partner 
     violence in their lifetime;
       Whereas respondents to a survey of domestic violence 
     programs reported that survivors of domestic violence often 
     face financial challenges, with 8,000,000 days of paid work 
     lost each year due to intimate partner violence;
       Whereas medical professionals have reported that survivors 
     of domestic violence presented with more severe injuries 
     during the pandemic;
       Whereas domestic violence programs changed the way they 
     provide services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic;
       Whereas advocates for survivors of domestic violence and 
     survivors face the same challenges with child care and 
     facilitating online learning that others do;
       Whereas, according to a 2022 survey conducted by the 
     National Network to End Domestic Violence, 79,335 domestic 
     violence victims were served by domestic violence shelters 
     and programs around the United States in a single day;
       Whereas some victims of domestic violence face additional 
     challenges in accessing law enforcement and services due to 
     conditions specific to the communities in which they live;
       Whereas law enforcement officers in the United States put 
     their lives at risk each day by responding to incidents of 
     domestic violence, which can be among the most volatile and 
     deadly calls;
       Whereas Congress first demonstrated a significant 
     commitment to supporting victims of domestic violence with 
     the enactment of the landmark Family Violence Prevention and 
     Services Act (42 U.S.C. 10401 et seq.);
       Whereas Congress has remained committed to protecting 
     survivors of all forms of domestic violence and sexual abuse 
     by making Federal funding available to support the activities 
     that are authorized under--
       (1) the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (42 
     U.S.C. 10401 et seq.);
       (2) the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (34 U.S.C. 12291 
     et seq.); and
       (3) the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 
     2021 (34 U.S.C. 10101 note; Public Law 117-27);
       Whereas there is a need to continue to support programs and 
     activities aimed at domestic violence intervention and 
     domestic violence prevention in the United States;
       Whereas domestic violence programs provide trauma-informed 
     services to protect the safety, privacy, and confidentiality 
     of survivors of domestic violence; and
       Whereas individuals and organizations that are dedicated to 
     preventing and ending domestic violence should be recognized: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) the Senate--
       (A) supports the goals and ideals of ``National Domestic 
     Violence Awareness Month'';
       (B) commends domestic violence victim advocates, domestic 
     violence victim service providers, crisis hotline staff, and 
     first responders serving victims of domestic violence for 
     their compassionate support of survivors of domestic 
     violence; and
       (C) recognizes the strength and courage of survivors of 
     domestic violence; and
       (2) it is the sense of the Senate that Congress should--
       (A) continue to raise awareness of--
       (i) domestic violence in the United States; and
       (ii) the corresponding devastating effects of domestic 
     violence on survivors, families, and communities; and
       (B) pledge continued support for programs designed to--
       (i) assist survivors of domestic violence;
       (ii) hold perpetrators of domestic violence accountable; 
     and
       (iii) bring an end to domestic violence.

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