Title
Declaring October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Body
WHEREAS the City Council of Saint Paul, Minnesota recognizes that living free from domestic violence is a fundamental human right; and
WHEREAS domestic violence affects women, children and men of all races, sexual orientations, spiritual beliefs, ages, educational backgrounds and economic conditions; and
WHEREAS domestic violence involves physical, sexual, psychological and economic abuse, intimidation and isolation; and
WHEREAS domestic violence is a pattern of abuse used by a person to control and oppress another, and one in three women are beaten or raped by a partner during adulthood; and
WHEREAS in 2016, at least twenty-one Minnesotans lost their lives as a result of domestic violence; and
WHEREAS only one in every five domestic violence victims ever seek services and over 63,000 victims seek services from domestic violence programs in Minnesota every year; and
WHEREAS the City of Saint Paul, from being home to the first domestic violence shelter in the nation to the creation of The Blueprint for Safety and establishment of Bridges to Safety Victim Service Center, is recognized as an international leader in ensuring all victims and their children are safe and dangerous perpetrators are held accountable for their violence; and
WHEREAS we as a community, from our first responders, community-based domestic violence programs, justice system workers, medical providers, educators, government systems, faith communities, businesses and community leaders and members, must continue our unified groundbreaking work, and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Saint Paul City Council declares October 2017 to be Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that - in partnership with the St. Paul Domestic Abuse Intervention Project, Saint Paul Firefighters Local 21, and the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women - "Live Free Without Violence" flags will be hung on the Wabasha Street Bridge during the month of October, to honor domestic violence victims, and signify our continued commitment as an entire community to end domestic violence and safeguard the human rights of all.