Title
Declaring October 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 four women are beaten or raped by a partner during adulthood; and
WHEREAS in 2015, seven people from Saint Paul and at least thirty-four 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 the creation of The Blueprint for Safety to the establishment of Bridges to Safety--a collaboratively operated victim service center, is a nationally recognized 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 2016 to be Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that - in partnership with the Saint Paul Police Foundation, Saint Paul Firefighters Local 21, the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women and the Saint Paul Intervention Project - "Live Free Without Violence" flags will be hung on the Wab...
Click here for full text