[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 25587]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               OCTOBER: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DAVID G. REICHERT

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 22, 2009

  Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, the month of October is recognized 
around this country as ``Domestic Violence Awareness Month'' and I rise 
today to urge this House to continue advocating for victims of domestic 
violence and to continue the fight against domestic violence.
  According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, a non-
profit organization working tirelessly and cooperatively against the 
scourge of domestic violence, an estimated 1.3 million women are 
victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year. One in 
four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime and, at 
this point, one in six have already experienced an attempted or 
completed rape. I spent 33 years of my life in law enforcement, often 
on the front lines combating acts of domestic violence. During that 
time, I saw many horrific things. I have seen lives end, communities 
shattered and families torn apart due to domestic violence. The human 
cost of domestic violence in this country is astronomical. It touches 
lives in big cities, small towns and everywhere in between. Domestic 
violence knows no boundaries.
  Violence is often a destructive cycle. A boy who witnesses acts of 
violence between parents or caretakers is twice as likely to become a 
perpetrator of domestic violence as an adult. Even worse, children who 
witness abuse and are themselves abused are even more prone to acts of 
domestic violence in adulthood. Generations of Americans have failed to 
break this terrible cycle of violence and even more alarmingly, many of 
those same Americans refuse to properly identify acts of domestic 
violence and seek help or protection. I ask the members of this House 
to remember these facts throughout this month and to please do 
everything in their power to combat domestic violence in congressional 
districts across the country. Support the National Coalition Against 
Domestic Violence and other like minded organizations. Support local 
law enforcement. Support community organizations like the Boys & Girls 
Club and churches. Urge your constituents to be mindful of the 
devastating effects of domestic violence.
  Domestic violence is debilitating to families, communities and the 
United States as a whole and is entirely preventable. Every day, we 
have the opportunity to remind our constituents and our families to 
work together to rid our communities of domestic violence. As we make 
progress and fight against this injustice within, we must stay 
vigilant.

                          ____________________