Res. No. 518 Title Resolution recognizing October, 2002 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the City of New York. Body By The Speaker (Council Member Miller) and Council Members Boyland, DeBlasio, Reyna, Nelson, Quinn, Recchia, Golden, Foster, Stewart, Vann, Weprin, Avella, Serrano, Lanza, Brewer, Rivera, Liu, Perkins, Barron, Clarke, Davis, Diaz, Dilan, Felder, Fidler, Gerson, Jackson, Katz, Lopez, McMahon, Monserrate, Reed, Sanders, Seabrook, Sears, Baez and Oddo Whereas, Domestic violence is defined as behavior which involves physical, sexual, economic or emotional abuse, either alone or in combination, by an intimate partner for the purpose of establishing and maintaining power; and Whereas, According to the National Crime Victim Center ("NCVC"), it is estimated that six million women are assaulted by a male partner each year and of these, 1.8 million are severely assaulted; and Whereas, The NCVC concludes that domestic violence is the single greatest cause of injury to women ages 15-44 and the leading cause of death among black women under the age of 40; and Whereas, According to the NCVC, between 15 to 25 percent of pregnant women are battered, and in homes where spousal abuse occurs, children are abused at a rate 1500 percent higher than the national average; and Whereas, Statistics provided by the NCVC also indicate that each year, domestic violence causes approximately 100,000 days of hospitalization, 28,700 emergency room visits and 39,900 physician visits, and that such violence costs the nation an estimated $5 to $10 billion per year; and Whereas, Organizations participating in the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs reported 4,048 cases of domestic violence affecting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals in 2000, which marked a 29.7 percent increase. Whereas, Between 1993 and 1999, the National Crime Victimization Survey recorded an average of 13,740 male victims and 16,900 of female victims of same gender intimate partner violence; and Whereas, Although the rate of violent crime in New York City has decreased, the rate of domestic violence homicides has not; and Whereas, Domestic violence is an insidious crime that, to address properly, requires fundamental changes in societal attitudes and values; and Whereas, As New Yorkers we can lead the way in making such fundamental changes by focusing attention on this problem, by encouraging victims to seek support, and by working with all communities to reduce the incidence of domestic violence in our City; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York recognizes October, 2002 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the City of New York. JP LS# 1124 |10
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