PRINTER'S NO. 2035
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
221
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY HILL-EVANS, DELOZIER, KINSEY, M. JONES, VITALI,
FLICK, OBERLANDER, KHAN, SCHLOSSBERG, HARKINS, GIRAL, MADDEN,
HANBIDGE, DONAHUE, SAPPEY, PICKETT, SANCHEZ, BOROWSKI,
KRUEGER, PARKER, DELLOSO, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, HADDOCK, CIRESI,
ROZZI, CONKLIN AND BELLMON, SEPTEMBER 26, 2023
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2023
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the month of October 2023 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 individuals from all
racial, ethnic, religious, educational, social and economic
backgrounds and takes many forms; and
WHEREAS, Assault, harassment, threats, vandalism,
trespassing, burglary, theft and stalking may occur; and
WHEREAS, Abusive behaviors often escalate, causing physical
and emotional trauma, anxiety, stress, sleep deprivation, loss
of confidence, fear and, in some cases, injury and death by
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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, An estimated 37% of Pennsylvania women and 30.4% of
Pennsylvania men experience intimate partner physical violence,
intimate partner sexual violence or intimate partner stalking in
their lifetimes; and
WHEREAS, Nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by
an intimate partner, accounting for more than 10 million
victims; and
WHEREAS, Twenty thousand calls per day are placed to domestic
violence hotlines; and
WHEREAS, The estimated lifetime economic burden of intimate
partner violence in Pennsylvania is $156 billion; and
WHEREAS, Intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all
violent crime, however only 34% who are injured receive medical
care for their injuries; and
WHEREAS, Last year in this Commonwealth, 112 victims died
from domestic violence incidents, among which 71 were shot, 20
stabbed, 9 beaten and 6 strangled, among other methods; and
WHEREAS, Seventy-two percent of all murder-suicides involved
an intimate partner and 94% of the victims are female; and
WHEREAS, More than 29,000 Lethality Assessments to connect
victims with lifesaving services have been completed since 2012
leading to 36% of those identified as high-danger victims
accessing services; and
WHEREAS, To increase victim safety, authorities must
carefully follow screening, reporting, documentation and
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referral requirements; and
WHEREAS, At-risk individuals and families need 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 2023 as "Domestic Violence Awareness Month" in
Pennsylvania.
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