THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY SIPTROTH, BROWN, BELFANTI, BEYER, BISHOP, BRENNAN,

BROOKS, CALTAGIRONE, CLYMER, CONKLIN, D. COSTA, CREIGHTON,

CRUZ, CUTLER, DELOZIER, DeLUCA, DePASQUALE, DONATUCCI,

EVERETT, FABRIZIO, GEIST, GRELL, GROVE, HELM, HENNESSEY,

HESS, HUTCHINSON, KOTIK, KULA, LONGIETTI, MAJOR, MANDERINO,

MANN, McCALL, MELIO, MILLARD, MOUL, MUNDY, MURT, M. O'BRIEN,

O'NEILL, PAYNE, PEIFER, PICKETT, QUINN, READSHAW, REICHLEY,

ROHRER, ROSS, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, SOLOBAY, SWANGER, THOMAS,

VEREB, VULAKOVICH, WALKO, WATSON, YOUNGBLOOD AND FREEMAN,

MARCH 3, 2009

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, MARCH

3, 2009  

A RESOLUTION

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Recognizing the month of October 2009 as "Domestic Violence

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Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

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WHEREAS, Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior

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used to establish power and control over an intimate partner;

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and

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WHEREAS, Domestic violence often causes emotional harm to

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victims, their children, other family members, friends,

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neighbors and coworkers; and

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WHEREAS, Domestic violence affects men and women in all

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racial, ethnic, religious, educational, social and economic

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backgrounds; and

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WHEREAS, Domestic violence takes many forms, whereby victims

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are often subjected to abuse, harassment, threats, vandalism,

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trespassing, burglary, theft and stalking; and

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WHEREAS, Domestic violence is often escalated, causing

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victims to suffer physical and emotional trauma, anxiety,

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stress, sleep deprivation, loss of confidence, fear and, in some

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cases, injury and death by suicide or homicide; and

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WHEREAS, One in every four women and one in every nine men

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will experience domestic violence in his or her lifetime; and

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WHEREAS, One in six women and one in 33 men have experienced

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an attempted or completed rape; and

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WHEREAS, Approximately 1.3 million women and 835,000 men are

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physically assaulted by an intimate partner annually in the

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United States; and

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WHEREAS, Thirty percent to 60% of perpetrators of intimate

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partner violence also abuse children in the home; and

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WHEREAS, Intimate partner violence results in more than 18.5

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million mental health care visits each year; and

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WHEREAS, The cost of intimate partner violence exceeds $5.8

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billion each year, $4.1 billion of which is for direct medical

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and mental health services; and

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WHEREAS, Domestic violence is one of the most chronically

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underreported crimes; and

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WHEREAS, There are many barriers to detecting domestic

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violence; and

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WHEREAS, To increase victims' safety, authorities must

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carefully follow screening, reporting, documentation and

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referral requirements; and

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WHEREAS, At-risk individuals and families need victim

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education relating to their legal rights, judicial proceedings,

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advocacy, counseling and support services, shelter care and

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crisis intervention; therefore be it

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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the

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month of October 2009 as "Domestic Violence Awareness Month" in

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Pennsylvania.