[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 131, 115th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9649 of September 29, 2017

National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, 2017

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Domestic violence is never acceptable. During National Domestic Violence
Awareness Month, I call on all Americans to promote the safety and
liberty of the women, men, and children who are subjected to violent,
intimidating, or controlling behavior at the hands of those closest to
them.
All humans have inherent dignity, and no one deserves to be in an
abusive relationship. While the rate of domestic violence in our country
has decreased over the last two decades, domestic violence continues to
spread across our Nation. Nearly 1 in 4 American women aged 18 and older
have been the victim of physical violence by an intimate partner, and
domestic violence is still the leading cause of injury to women.
Emotional abuse is also sadly too prevalent in our communities, and can
inflict deep scars on those caught in an up-and-down cycle of
belittling, aggressive behavior even in what can feel like a healthy
relationship.
We share a moral obligation to recognize, address, and stop domestic
violence. Each of us must be a voice for those suffering in silence and
must speak up when we see signs of physical or emotional abuse. Together
we can bolster victims' support networks and encourage and empower them
to report offenses.

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We recognize and applaud the many advocates, clergy, victim-service
providers, educators, law enforcement officers, family members, and
friends who render daily aid to victims of harmful and destructive
relationships, often as first responders. Tens of thousands of women and
children find refuge in domestic violence emergency shelters and
transition housing each day, but thousands more are turned away. That is
why the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of
Housing and Urban Development are engaged in the critical work of
funding domestic violence shelters and hotlines. And each year, the
Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women awards hundreds
of millions of Federal grant dollars to support law enforcement efforts
to assist victims and hold offenders accountable.
During National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I encourage Americans
affected by domestic violence to seek help. Your neighbors, places of
worship, community, and Nation stand ready to support you. I remain
deeply committed to ensuring that our Nation is one where all may live
free of fear, violence, and abuse, especially in their own homes.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 2017 as
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I call on all Americans to
stand firm in condemning domestic violence and supporting victims of
these crimes in finding the safety and recovery they need and to
support, recognize, and trust in the efforts of law enforcement to hold
offenders accountable, protect victims of crime and their communities,
and prevent future violence.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of
September, in the year of our Lord two thousand seventeen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
second.
DONALD J. TRUMP