Declaring October as "Domestic Violence Awareness Month".

WHEREAS, “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” is being sponsored locally by Women Against Abuse and through their sponsorship, they are encouraging everyone to help to increase the awareness of domestic violence in our homes and communities and decrease its negative impact on Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, In 2013, the Philadelphia Police Department responded to more than 100,000 domestic abuse calls and domestic violence is not just a local problem but a national issue where more than three women a day are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends in the United States and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that women experience two million injuries from intimate partner violence each year; and victims of severe intimate partner violence lose nearly 8 million days of paid work each year; and

WHEREAS, Founded in 1976, the mission of Women Against Abuse is to provide quality and compassionate services, in a manner that fosters self respect and independence in persons experiencing intimate partner violence and to lead the struggle to end domestic violence through advocacy and community education; and

WHEREAS, Women Against Abuse, in partnership with Congreso de Latinos Unidos, Lutheran Settlement House's Bilingual Domestic Violence Program and Women In Transition, have formed the Philadelphia Domestic Violence Collaborative that provides a comprehensive continuum of services to survivors of domestic violence and their families in Philadelphia, which includes housing, legal aid, counseling, medical advocacy and behavioral health services; and

WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Domestic Violence Collaborative provides education and training to the community about domestic violence issues and resources and has partnered with the City of Philadelphia to operate the Philadelphia Domestic Violence Hotline and in fiscal year 2014, approximately 10,000 calls were answered through the Hotline; and

WHEREAS, To support victims of domestic violence, City Council championed the opening of a second 100-bed safe haven for survivors of domestic violence that opened in the summer of 2014, which will enable victims to take the crucial first steps to reclaim their lives and move forward toward a brighter future; and

WHEREAS, To ensure a more holistic approach to addressing violence in our community, Women Against Abuse partnered with its sister agencies and the Deputy Mayor of Health and Opportunity to develop a strategic plan to respond to domestic violence in Philadelphia, which will be completed this fall; and

WHEREAS, To support a coordinated community response to domestic violence, Women Against Abuse will hold its 7th Annual iPledge Press Conference on October 3rd at 12:00 p.m. in LOVE Park as a community awareness initiative to promote knowledge about domestic violence and to build community support so that all Philadelphians will take a stand against violence; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Declares and recognizes October as “Domestic Violence Awareness Month”.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to representatives of Women Against Abuse as a sincere expression of City Council's gratitude, appreciation, and commendation for raising the public's awareness regarding domestic violence.

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