HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRO-2024-018-Domestic Violence Awareness Month Proclamation ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROCLAMATION
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH 2O24
WHEREAS , domestic violence is a pattern of behaviors used by someone to maintain power and
control in an intimate or family relationship ; and
WHEREAS , domestic violence encompasses not only physical abuse , but also emotional , verbal ,
financial , sexual , or digital abuse , isolation , and /or stalking ; and
WHEREAS , domestic violence disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities , undocumented
people , women , trans and gender non - conforming people , and disabled people ; and
WHEREAS , racism , sexism , xenophobia , transphobia , ableism , and other forms of oppression and
discrimination perpetuate domestic violence and make seeking safety and stability more difficult for
marginalized survivors ; and
WHEREAS , according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence , on average nearly 20
people per minute are abused by an intimate partner in the United States . During one year , this equates
to more than 10 million people ; and
WHEREAS , in North Carolina , according to the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence , at
least 73 individuals were murdered by a current or former intimate partner in 2023 and at least 63 have
been murdered so far in 2024 ; and
WHEREAS , at least two Orange County residents have been murdered so far this year by a current or
former intimate partner or family member ; and
WHEREAS , Compass Center , the state - designated domestic violence service provider for Orange
County , serves more than 1 , 300 survivors of domestic violence each year through its 241mahour domestic
violence crisis line , support groups , court and community advocacy , Latinx programs , career and
financial counseling , and other services and engages thousands more in prevention education and
outreach ; and
WHEREAS , Compass Center has collaborated with numerous local agencies over the last two years
to bring the Lethality Assessment Protocol ( LAP ) Program to Orange County , which trains first
responders to screen for lethality risk factors and directly connect highest- risk victims to the Compass
Center , and is now receiving on -scene referrals from LAP -trained officers with the Orange County
Sheriff' s Office , and the Chapel Hill , Carrboro , and Hillsborough police departments ; and
WHEREAS , preventing domestic violence requires the collective awareness , care , and action of
individuals , institutions , and systems to transform our communities through social norms , policies , and
laws that reject violence and abuse and promote healthy relationships based on respect , trust , and
equity ;
NOW, THEREFORE , we , the Orange County Board of County Commissioners , do hereby proclaim
October 2024 to be :
" Domestic Violence Awareness Month "
and encourage the residents of Orange County to observe this time in ways appropriate to its
importance and significance .
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Proclaimed this the 1st day of October , §
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