[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15781]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS

  (Ms. GABBARD asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, domestic violence often hides behind closed 
doors and drawn curtains, but the problem is very staggering.
  In my home State of Hawaii, 575 domestic violence survivors reach out 
to local organizations seeking help every single day. Their stories are 
heartbreaking and, too often, even if they are temporarily removed from 
the abusive environment, they are often returned to their abuser.
  Survivors can seek legal protection from their abusers, but they 
aren't likely to do so or be successful unless they have a lawyer. Just 
32 percent of victims successfully obtain a restraining order without 
legal representation.
  I call on my colleagues to support the POWER Act, which requires 
every State's U.S. attorney to promote and expand pro bono legal 
services specifically for domestic violence survivors.
  We all need to be more conscious of this problem because it is 
happening in our communities. As we observe Domestic Violence Awareness 
Month, let us have the courage to confront the pervasiveness of this 
crime and take action to help provide survivors with the safety and 
security they need.

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