Congressman Al Green, Congressman Garret Graves Introduce Bipartisan Original National Domestic Violence Awareness Month Resolution of 2022

(Houston, TX) — On Friday, October 28, 2022, Congressman Al Green (TX-09) and Congressman Garret Graves (LA-06) introduced the Bipartisan Original National Domestic Violence Awareness Month Resolution of 2022. It garnered over 170 cosponsors in Congress and can be viewed here. They released the following statement:

“Since my arrival in Congress in 2005, I have regularly introduced legislation to bring greater awareness to the dangerous situation that domestic abuse victims are in. My legislation is also meant to help hold perpetrators accountable and encourage everyone to do their part in preventing further abuse from taking place,” Congressman Al Green stated. “According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, violence perpetrated by an intimate partner affects over 12 million people each year. Additionally, one in three women and one in four men in the United States experience rape or other forms of violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.”

Congressman Green added, “These statistics demonstrate that domestic violence remains an exceedingly serious, pervasive issue across our nation. I will continue to be a strong advocate of domestic violence prevention as long as I remain in Congress and urge all people of goodwill to continue bringing visibility to this very important issue. I thank Congressman Graves for his continued partnership in introducing this legislation.”

“We must all understand the severity of family violence in America. 50 percent of all homeless women and children in the U.S. are fleeing from domestic violence and abuse. Domestic violence's costs add up to more than $37 billion dollars a year. This includes medical and mental health, law enforcement involvement, legal work, and lost productivity at their jobs. Every 9 seconds a woman is assaulted or beaten in the United States. These are facts that cannot be ignored. We must recognize that our nation has leaders that are tolerating and perpetuating violence against women and children. Then we must stand with the leaders who are fighting to protect women's and children's rights," Jacquelyn Aluotto, President of No Trafficking Zone (NTZ) said.

"Stay-at-home orders designed to prevent COVID-19 and the socio-economic fallout of the pandemic has contributed to a surge of domestic violence across the nation. Far too often, Texans experience social tensions that manifest as violence against a partner or a family member, especially in minority communities. This rapid surge of domestic violence has highlighted the need for communities to design coordinated community responses that include culturally specific providers like The Empowered Survivor, a nonprofit designed to prevent domestic violence in communities of color.  From May 2020 - present, the Empowered Survivor provided resources such as housing, education, employment, and wellness care to over 1,100 victims of domestic violence.  By standing in the gap alongside Congressman Al Green and our other community partners, we will continue to empower domestic violence survivors and decrease their risk level for continued violence and/or homicide," Carvana Cloud, Founder & Executive Director of The Empowered Survivor, said.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing signs of abuse, including physical assault, psychological aggression, stalking, sexual coercion, or any other form of intimate partner violence, please call the free, 24/7 National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit thehotline.org.