[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15228]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          IN RECOGNITION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 11, 2011

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of ``Domestic 
Violence Awareness Month.'' The month of October is designated as a 
time to honor the unknown number of lives lost to domestic violence, 
recognize the survivors, and applaud the work of dedicated advocates, 
social workers, and counselors. By bringing awareness to this issue we 
can help to erase the stigma for survivors of domestic violence.
  Domestic violence happens in every community. Domestic abuse takes 
the form of physical violence, sexual assaults, economic abuse, verbal 
manipulation, stalking, or psychological intimidation. It affects 
children, women, and men regardless of where they live, how much they 
earn, the color of their skin, or the level of education they have 
attained. One in four women will experience domestic violence during 
her lifetime. An estimated 1.3 million women will be physically 
assaulted this year. And in Minnesota, at least 15 women, 7 children, 
and 2 men died from domestic violence in 2010. Yet despite all of this, 
domestic violence remains a ``hidden crime'' with most incidents going 
unreported.
  While progress has been made to raise awareness of domestic violence 
and provide needed services to survivors, much more must be done to 
break the culture of silence surrounding this public health epidemic. 
Law enforcement, health providers, community leaders, social workers, 
teachers, and concerned citizens must work together to hold 
perpetrators accountable and ensure survivors have the support and 
resources they need. Communities need to promote a culture of safety 
and support. Individuals have to stand up and declare with our words 
and actions that domestic violence is unacceptable.
  For those committed to ending domestic violence, and in honor of 
survivors of domestic abuse, I stand today in support of ``Domestic 
Violence Awareness Month''.

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