PRINTER'S NO. 1243
No. 200 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY SIPTROTH, BAKER, BELFANTI, BENNINGTON, BEYER, BIANCUCCI, BISHOP, BOBACK, BOYD, BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, COHEN, CONKLIN, CREIGHTON, DALEY, DeLUCA, DePASQUALE, DeWEESE, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, EVERETT, FAIRCHILD, GABIG, GALLOWAY, GEIST, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHART, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HESS, HUTCHINSON, JAMES, KOTIK, KULA, LEACH, MAHONEY, MAJOR, MANN, MANTZ, MARKOSEK, McGEEHAN, McILHATTAN, METCALFE, MILLARD, MOYER, MUNDY, MUSTIO, NAILOR, M. O'BRIEN, O'NEILL, PALLONE, PAYNE, PETRONE, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, PYLE, QUIGLEY, QUINN, RAMALEY, RAPP, READSHAW, REED, REICHLEY, ROHRER, ROSS, RUBLEY, SAINATO, SANTONI, SHIMKUS, SONNEY, R. STEVENSON, SURRA, SWANGER, TANGRETTI, THOMAS, TRUE, VEREB, VULAKOVICH, WHEATLEY, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD AND YUDICHAK, APRIL 13, 2007
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, APRIL 13, 2007
A RESOLUTION 1 Designating the month of October 2007 as "Domestic Violence 2 Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania. 3 WHEREAS, Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behaviors 4 used to establish power and control over an intimate partner; 5 and 6 WHEREAS, Domestic violence is often escalating and extended; 7 and 8 WHEREAS, Forty percent of domestic violence victims never 9 contact police; and 10 WHEREAS, There are many other barriers to detecting domestic 11 violence; and
1 WHEREAS, Domestic violence takes many forms, including 2 threats; and 3 WHEREAS, Domestic violence causes isolation, injuries, trauma 4 and death by suicide or homicide; and 5 WHEREAS, In 2005 there were 130 deaths in this Commonwealth 6 among domestic violence victims and 50 deaths among domestic 7 violence assailants; and 8 WHEREAS, In a single day more than 2,477 adults and children 9 in this Commonwealth sought services for domestic violence; and 10 WHEREAS, Children comprise 15% of victims injured in domestic 11 assaults and witness 85% of domestic assaults; and 12 WHEREAS, Half of homeless women and children are fleeing 13 domestic violence; and 14 WHEREAS, One-third to one-half of geriatric abuse victims 15 have been beaten by intimate partners; and 16 WHEREAS, To increase victims' safety, authorities must 17 carefully follow screening, reporting, documentation and 18 referral requirements; and 19 WHEREAS, At-risk individuals and families need victim 20 education relating to their legal rights, judicial proceedings, 21 advocacy, counseling and support services, shelter care and 22 crisis intervention; therefore be it 23 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the 24 month of October 2007 as "Domestic Violence Awareness Month" in 25 Pennsylvania. C21L82SFL/20070H0200R1243 - 2 -