WHEREAS, October is annually recognized as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month; and WHEREAS, although progress has been made toward preventing and ending domestic violence and providing support to survivors and their families, important work remains to be done; and WHEREAS, policymakers and communities must work together to transform the conditions that cause domestic violence and support survivor-centered solutions; and WHEREAS, domestic violence programs in California provide essential lifesaving services for survivors, their children, and communities; and WHEREAS, there is a need to provide education, awareness, and understanding of domestic violence and its causes; and WHEREAS, there is a need to support and amplify prevention programs and community-based strategies to create healthy environments and decrease the likelihood of perpetration, thereby stopping domestic violence from occurring in the first place; and WHEREAS, there is a need to focus on the individualized needs of domestic violence survivors; and WHEREAS, approximately 35% of California women and 31% of California men experience physical intimate partner violence in their lifetimes; and WHEREAS, California has higher rates of domestic violence experienced by both men and women when compared to the national average; and WHEREAS, women 18-24 years of age are significantly more likely to be survivors of physical intimate partner violence than women in other age groups; and WHEREAS, domestic violence affects people of all genders, sexual orientations, ages, racial, ethnic, cultural, social, religious, and economic groups in the United States and here in California; and WHEREAS, the marginalization of certain groups in society, including undocumented individuals, transgender individuals, and people living with disabilities, increases their vulnerability to domestic violence; and WHEREAS, approximately four out of every ten non-Hispanic Black women, four out of every ten American Indian or Alaska Native women, and 1 in 2 multiracial non-Hispanic women have been the victim of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. These rates are 30%-50% higher than those experienced by Hispanic, White non-Hispanic women, and Asian or Pacific non-Hispanic women; and WHEREAS, according to the American Psychological Association, women with disabilities have a 40 percent greater risk of intimate partner violence than women without disabilities; and WHEREAS, domestic violence is the third leading cause of homelessness among families in the United States; and WHEREAS, domestic violence has a significant economic impact on women; throughout the country, an estimated 8 million days of paid work are lost because of domestic violence lose 8 million paid work days each year as the result of intimate partner violence. Domestic violence costs $8.3 billion in expenses annually: a combination of higher medical costs ($5.8 billion) and lost productivity ($2.5 billion); and WHEREAS, children exposed to domestic violence can experience long-term consequences, including difficulty at school, substance abuse, behavioral problems in adolescence, and serious adult health problems; and WHEREAS, recognizing the need to understand the complexity of violence as perpetuated within communities and against communities and the fear of many survivors to report to law enforcement; and WHEREAS, in 2022, domestic violence shelter programs served 13,370 individuals in shelters and 54,521 individuals through non-shelter supportive services; and WHEREAS, there were 84 domestic violence-related homicides in California in 2022, of which 63 of the fatalities were female, and 21 were male; and WHEREAS, all survivors deserve access to culturally responsive programs and services to increase their safety and self-sufficiency; and WHEREAS, all communities deserve access to culturally responsive prevention programs and initiatives to improve overall community health and safety by challenging the societal norms that perpetuate violence; and WHEREAS, Human Options is igniting social change by educating Orange County to recognize relationship violence as an issue that threatens everyone, advocating for those affected by abuse, extending a safe place for victims, and empowering survivors on their journey of healing; and WHEREAS, Human Options is committed to a future in which every person and family in Orange County experiences safe, healthy relationships and lives free from abuse; and WHEREAS, the City of Costa Mesa recognizes the vital role that all Californians can play in preventing and one day ending domestic violence.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, John B. Stephens, Mayor of the City of Costa Mesa, do hereby proclaim the month of October 2023 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I urge Costa Mesa residents to become involved in efforts to prevent and respond to domestic violence and recognize the impact of domestic violence in our community.
DATED this 17th day of October 2023.
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John B. Stephens, Mayor of the City of Costa Mesa