PRINTER'S NO. 2210
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
503
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY DELOZIER, CORBIN, ACOSTA, BISHOP, BIZZARRO,
BOBACK, R. BROWN, V. BROWN, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN, CONKLIN,
P. DALEY, DAVIS, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, DRISCOLL, DUSH, FEE,
FRANKEL, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, A. HARRIS, HEFFLEY, HENNESSEY,
PHILLIPS-HILL, IRVIN, JAMES, M. K. KELLER, KILLION, KIM,
KINSEY, KIRKLAND, KLUNK, LONGIETTI, MACKENZIE, MAHONEY,
MAJOR, MATZIE, McNEILL, MILLARD, MURT, NEILSON, NEUMAN,
O'BRIEN, O'NEILL, C. PARKER, D. PARKER, PASHINSKI, PAYNE,
PICKETT, QUINN, READSHAW, REGAN, ROEBUCK, ROZZI, SAINATO,
SANTORA, SCHLOSSBERG, SCHREIBER, SCHWEYER, SNYDER, SONNEY,
STAATS, TAYLOR, THOMAS, TOEPEL, WATSON, WHEELAND, YOUNGBLOOD,
ZIMMERMAN AND FARINA, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
SEPTEMBER 22, 2015
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the month of October 2015 as "Domestic Violence
Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior
used to establish power and control over an intimate partner;
and
WHEREAS, Domestic violence often causes emotional harm to
victims, their children, other family members, friends,
neighbors and coworkers; and
WHEREAS, Domestic violence affects men and women from all
racial, ethnic, religious, educational, social and economic
backgrounds; and
WHEREAS, Domestic violence takes many forms, whereby victims
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are often subjected to abuse, harassment, threats, vandalism,
trespassing, burglary, theft and stalking; and
WHEREAS, Domestic violence often escalates, causing victims
to suffer physical and emotional trauma, anxiety, stress, sleep
deprivation, loss of confidence, fear and in some cases, injury
and death by suicide or homicide; and
WHEREAS, Domestic violence is one of the most chronically
underreported crimes; and
WHEREAS, There are many barriers to detecting domestic
violence; and
WHEREAS, One in every four women and one in every nine men
will experience domestic violence in his or her lifetime; and
WHEREAS, One in six women and 1 in 33 men have experienced an
attempted or completed rape; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 1.3 million women and 835,000 men are
physically assaulted by an intimate partner annually in the
United States; and
WHEREAS, Thirty to sixty percent of perpetrators of intimate
partner violence also abuse children in the home; and
WHEREAS, Intimate partner violence results in more than 18.5
million mental health care visits each year; and
WHEREAS, The cost of intimate partner violence exceeds $5.8
billion each year, $4.1 billion of which is for direct medical
and mental health services; and
WHEREAS, Less than 20% of victims who report an injury from
intimate partner violence seek medical treatment following the
injury; and
WHEREAS, Children who witness domestic violence in their
homes are 74% more likely to commit criminal assaults as adults;
and
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WHEREAS, Collectively, victims of domestic violence lose
almost 8 million days of paid work annually as a result of the
violence; and
WHEREAS, Each year, businesses forfeit about $100 million in
lost wages, sick leave, absenteeism and nonproductivity; and
WHEREAS, Only about 20% of those who experience intimate
partner violence obtain protection from abuse orders; and
WHEREAS, Each year, domestic violence programs in this
Commonwealth provide services to approximately 95,000 victims of
domestic violence; and
WHEREAS, To increase victims' safety, authorities must
carefully follow screening, reporting, documentation and
referral requirements; and
WHEREAS, At-risk individuals and families need victim
education relating to their legal rights, judicial proceedings,
advocacy, counseling and support services, shelter care and
crisis intervention; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
month of October 2015 as "Domestic Violence Awareness Month" in
Pennsylvania.
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