PRINTER'S NO. 2636
No. 322 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY VANCE, PERZEL, WASHINGTON, ADOLPH, ALLEN, ARGALL,
ARMSTRONG, BARD, BARRAR, BEBKO-JONES, BELARDI, BENNINGHOFF,
BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CAWLEY, CLARK, L. I. COHEN,
CORRIGAN, COY, CREIGHTON, DALEY, DeLUCA, DERMODY, DiGIROLAMO,
DONATUCCI, J. EVANS, FAIRCHILD, FICHTER, FLEAGLE, FRANKEL,
FREEMAN, GABIG, GEIST, GEORGE, GORDNER, GRUCELA, HARHAI,
HARHART, HERMAN, HERSHEY, HORSEY, HUTCHINSON, JAMES, JOSEPHS,
KAISER, KELLER, KENNEY, LAUGHLIN, LEDERER, LEH, LEWIS,
MACKERETH, MAITLAND, MAJOR, MANDERINO, MANN, McCALL,
McGEEHAN, McILHATTAN, McNAUGHTON, MELIO, S. MILLER, MUNDY,
PALLONE, PETRARCA, PIPPY, PISTELLA, READSHAW, ROBERTS, ROSS,
RUBLEY, SANTONI, SATHER, SAYLOR, SCHRODER, SCHULER, SHANER,
B. SMITH, SOLOBAY, STABACK, STERN, STURLA, SURRA, TANGRETTI,
E. Z. TAYLOR, THOMAS, TIGUE, TRAVAGLIO, TRICH, WALKO, WATSON,
WOJNAROSKI, M. WRIGHT, YOUNGBLOOD, YUDICHAK AND ZUG,
OCTOBER 15, 2001
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
OCTOBER 15, 2001
A RESOLUTION
1 Designating the month of October as "Domestic Violence Awareness
2 Month" in Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, At least 800,000 Pennsylvanians each year are
4 victims of domestic violence; and
5 WHEREAS, Approximately 1,800 murders nationally are
6 attributed to domestic violence each year; and
7 WHEREAS, According to statistics of the Federal Bureau of
8 Investigation, a woman is beaten every 15 seconds; and
9 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is the first state in the nation to
10 institute domestic violence universal screening; and
1 WHEREAS, The importance of screening patients for symptoms of
2 domestic violence was emphasized by this legislature most
3 recently by the enactment of the act of December 3, 1998
4 (P.L.925, No.115), known as the Domestic Violence Health Care
5 Response Act, which establishes the Domestic Violence Health
6 Care Response Program; and
7 WHEREAS, For the second straight year, the Family Violence
8 Prevention Fund has designated Pennsylvania as the only State in
9 the nation to receive an "A" grade in regards to its domestic
10 violence health care laws; and
11 WHEREAS, According to the Department of Justice, nearly 50%
12 of all domestic violence acts are witnessed by children; and
13 WHEREAS, Battery is a leading cause of injury to women; and
14 WHEREAS, Studies show that battered women who work face a
15 high likelihood of losing their jobs because of domestic
16 violence: 55% missed work and over 60% were late for work; and
17 WHEREAS, All Pennsylvanians should be made aware of the
18 multitude of symptoms and signs associated with domestic
19 violence; and
20 WHEREAS, Approximately only 10% of primary care physicians
21 across the nation routinely screen patients for partner abuse
22 when not currently injured; therefore be it
23 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
24 month of October 2001 as "Domestic Violence Awareness Month" in
25 Pennsylvania; and be it further
26 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage all
27 Pennsylvanians to learn more about the causes, signs, prevention
28 and treatment for domestic violence.
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