Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Floor Speech

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Ms. ADAMS. Mr. Speaker, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. One in three women report experiencing domestic violence throughout their lifetimes. In North Carolina alone, 108 people died because of domestic violence in 2013.

Earlier today Ron Kimble, deputy city manager of Charlotte, who resides in my district, spoke at the new Members meeting about the severity of domestic violence. Mr. Kimble and his wife, Jan, lost their daughter Jamie, an only child, to domestic violence in 2012.

Jamie, a 31-year-old graduate of the University of North Carolina and rising star at Coca-Cola Consolidated, worked up the courage to leave her boyfriend, who was controlling and emotionally abusive. Just 3 months after leaving him, he took her life and then he took his own in a murder-suicide.

While Jamie can no longer share her story, her parents--Mr. and Mrs. Kimble--wanted me to share it with you today to shed light on the tragedy that often emerges from domestic violence.

I am a proud cosponsor of the Teach Safe Relationships Act because I believe including safe relationship behavior curriculum in sex education will help combat domestic violence. This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I urge this Congress to pass the Teach Safe Relationships Act and support other critical domestic violence legislation.

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