Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Bethany Harrison was on hand this morning at the YWCA of Central Virginia to take part in the official kick-off to Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the month of October. The YWCA of Central Virginia does invaluable work offering services and support to victims of domestic violence. As part of the event, Bethany read and signed a proclamation of recognition which included sobering information about the impacts of domestic violence and a call to action for us all to work to break the cycle of violence in our community:
Whereas, our Nation has a moral obligation to work to prevent domestic violence and to address its brutal and destructive effects; Whereas, our Nation must make ending domestic violence a national priority; NOW THEREFORE, in recognition of the important work done by domestic violence programs and victims’ service providers, I, Bethany Harrison, Chief Deputy Commonwealth Attorney of Lynchburg, do hereby proclaim the month of October 2017 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and urge all citizens to actively participate in the scheduled activities and programs sponsored by the Domestic Violence Prevention Center, to work towards the elimination of domestic violence.
The full text of the proclamation follows, below.
Proclamation of Recognition for
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
October, 2017
Whereas, 1 in every 3 teenagers, 1 in every 4 women, and 1 in every 6 men will experience domestic violence during their lifetime;
Whereas, approximately 15.5 million children are exposed to domestic violence every year;
Whereas, when a family member is abused, it can have long-term damaging effects on the victim that also leave a mark on family, friends, and the community at large;
Whereas, families are indispensable to a stable society, and they should be a place of support to instill responsibility and values in the next generation;
Whereas domestic violence is widespread and is devastating to society as a whole;
Whereas, the problem of domestic violence is not confined to any group or groups of people, but crosses all economic, racial, gender, educational, religious, and societal barriers, and is sustained by societal indifference;
Whereas, the crime of domestic violence violates an individual’s privacy, dignity, security, and humanity due to the systematic use of physical, emotional, sexual, psychological, and economic control and/or abuse;
Whereas, survivors should have help to find the compassion, comfort, and healing they need, and domestic abusers should be punished to the full extent of the law;
Whereas, survivors of violence should have access to medical and legal services, counseling, transitional housing, and other supportive services so that they can escape the cycle of abuse;
Whereas, we encourage domestic violence survivors and their families to seek assistance from appropriate victims’ services organizations and the Domestic Violence Prevention Center (434- 528-1041).
Whereas, it is important to recognize the compassion and dedication of the individuals who provide services to victims of domestic violence and work to increase public understanding of this significant problem;
Whereas, local programs, state coalitions, national organizations, and other agencies nationwide are committed to increasing public awareness of domestic violence and its prevalence, and to eliminating it through prevention and education;
Whereas, important partnerships have been formed among criminal and juvenile justice agencies, healthcare providers, allied professionals, and victim services to assist victims of domestic violence and their families;
Whereas, the United States President and Congress as well as other federal agencies have expressed a commitment to eliminating domestic violence both nationally and internationally;
Whereas, our Nation must dedicate ourselves to protecting vulnerable members of our society;
Whereas, our Nation has a moral obligation to work to prevent domestic violence and to address its brutal and destructive effects;
Whereas, our Nation must make ending domestic violence a national priority;
NOW THEREFORE, in recognition of the important work done by domestic violence programs and victims’ service providers, I, Bethany Harrison, Chief Deputy Commonwealth Attorney of Lynchburg, do hereby proclaim the month of October 2017 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and urge all citizens to actively participate in the scheduled activities and programs sponsored by the Domestic Violence Prevention Center, to work towards the elimination of domestic violence.
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