[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16139]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS PREVENTION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ANN MARIE BUERKLE

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 25, 2011

  Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise on this occasion to speak about one 
of the most significant issues facing us today: domestic violence. Mr. 
Speaker, domestic violence is both unacceptable and intolerable.
  As a legal domestic violence counselor, I have had the opportunity to 
offer pro bono legal services through Vera House in Syracuse, New York 
to help victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault. Vera House 
provides services for women, children and men, as well as domestic 
violence prevention programs for the Central New York region. Through 
my work at Vera House, I have seen how domestic abuse affects people of 
all ages, races, religions, socio-economic conditions.
  Domestic violence is known by many titles: domestic abuse, spousal 
abuse, family violence, and intimate partner violence. It also takes 
many forms from physical violence involving such things as hitting, 
kicking, biting, shoving, or restraining. It can be emotional or verbal 
abuse which manifests in many types of behavior--controlling, 
domineering, threatening, or humiliating.
  Mr. Speaker, domestic violence is a problem facing every community in 
America. According to the Centers for Disease Control, domestic 
violence is a public health problem affecting over 32 million 
Americans, or 10 percent of the population. The effects of domestic 
abuse are staggering. Physical abuse can be bruises, broken bones, head 
injuries, lacerations. But those are just the external physical wounds. 
Internal bleeding and chronic health conditions such as arthritis, 
irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, migraines, and miscarriages can also 
be linked to physical abuse in abuse victims.
  Not only is domestic abuse physically dangerous, it also takes a 
psychological toll. The damage from this kind of abuse is not limited 
solely to survivors. It extends to their children, family, and 
community.
  All Americans have a moral obligation to stand up against those who 
commit violence against women, men, and children. We must be able to 
both recognize and prevent domestic abuse. We must come together to 
support survivors of abuse, while providing alternatives to this 
destructive cycle. As a country, we are equal to the task of fighting 
domestic abuse and sexual assault if we put our minds and spirits to 
it.

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