October as the 26th Anniversary of Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Floor Speech

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize this October as the 26th anniversary of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the United States. Every day women across our nation live in fear of being abused by a partner. An estimated 1.5 million people in the United States fall victim to domestic abuse each year and one in four women will experience domestic violence at some point in her life. Like a cancer, this abuse knows no limits and crosses all ethnic, socioeconomic, and party lines.

For years, the consequences of domestic violence were ignored or minimized, but our nation has since witnessed many advances to protect and support victims of domestic abuse. The reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), passed into law this year, will be critical in strengthening the ability of governments, law enforcement, and service providers to combat domestic violence.

But the effects of domestic violence are far-reaching and plague generation after generation, so we must continue to work hard to intervene in ways that fit individual victims' needs and prevent future violence. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting stronger public policy initiatives to meet the overwhelming need that remains for victim services and a range of domestic violence programs. As community leaders, we must pursue every opportunity for domestic violence education, advocacy, and prevention services. These are the means by which we can help turn domestic violence victims into survivors and prevent future domestic abuse.

Source