ATTACHMENT 1
CITY OF NAPA
PROCLAMATION
Domestic Violence Awareness Month ~ October 2024
WHEREAS, NEWS, Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse Services is commemorating 43 years of service to survivors of domestic violence in Napa County, having opened the first confidential safe house on October 5, 1981 and began providing safety to those escaping abuse; and WHEREAS, every year since 1989, the United States Congress has proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, renewing our Country’s commitment to standing against domestic violence and meeting the needs of survivors; and WHEREAS, Domestic Violence Awareness Month is about raising awareness and uplifting the needs, voices and experiences of survivors. This year’s national campaign of “Heal, Hold & Center” calls on us to ponder how our community is helping to heal, holding space for, and centering the voices of survivors; and WHEREAS, data from the U.S. Center of Disease Control’s 2022 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey show that nearly 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the U.S. report experiencing severe physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime while nearly half of U.S. adults have experienced psychological aggression from their partner; and WHEREAS, domestic violence can cause severe physical and emotional distress for survivors who are more likely to become suicidal and lose economic opportunities from the abuse. Children who witness abuse are likely to experience abuse themselves and are often used to control other family members which can have lifelong impacts on their mental health; and WHEREAS, in Fiscal Year 2023/2024, NEWS served 1, 145 clients from the City of Napa, including children. The NEWS Help Line received 1,336 calls for assistance from Napa residents. Clients from Napa received emergency assistance and crisis intervention services; court advocacy and accompaniment, including help preparing and filing restraining orders; and support from our Kids Exposed to Domestic Violence (KEDS) program; and WHEREAS, by observing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month we show that our community is committed to supporting survivors and working toward the prevention of domestic violence among future generations.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that I, Scott Sedgley, Mayor of the City of Napa, along with the Napa City Council, do hereby proclaim October 2024 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and encourage all residents of Napa to honor domestic violence survivors and those who serve them during this month and throughout the year.
Dated: October 1, 2024
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SCOTT SEDGLEY, MAYOR
CITY OF NAPA