IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1394 

Applauding organizations that engage in the prevention of domestic violence 

and provide outreach and support services for victims. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 31, 2008 

Mr. TOWNS (for himself, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. 

WEINER, Mrs. MALONEY of New York, Mr. NADLER, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, 

and Ms. SOLIS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 

the Committee on Education and Labor 

RESOLUTION 

Applauding organizations that engage in the prevention of 

domestic violence and provide outreach and support services for victims. 

Whereas around the world, at least 1 in 3 women have been 

beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused, and 1 in 

3 American women reports being physically or sexually 

abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their 

lives; 

Whereas in 2007, the New York City Police Department responded to 229,453 domestic violence incidents and 

123,409 telephone calls were received by the city’s Domestic Violence Hotline; 

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•HRES 1394 IH 

Whereas in 2007, Brooklyn had the highest number of family-related homicides of all the New York City boroughs; 

Whereas women and families of all ages and racial, ethnic, 

economic, and religious backgrounds are affected by domestic violence; 

Whereas 30 percent of Americans say they know a woman 

who has been physically abused by her husband or boyfriend in the past year; 

Whereas as many as 324,000 women each year experience violence at the hands of an intimate partner while pregnant; 

Whereas the Family Violence Prevention Fund found teenage 

girls are victims of sexual abuse and assault, with approximately 20 percent of female high school students reporting physical or sexual abuse by a dating partner, 8 

percent of high school females reporting they had been 

coerced into having sex against their will, and 40 percent 

of high school females knowing someone their age who 

has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend; 

Whereas between 2005 and 2007, over 37,000 telephone calls 

received by the New York City Domestic Violence Hotline 

were made by adolescents and teens; 

Whereas recent studies show children are also the victims of 

domestic violence, with 50 percent of men who frequently 

abuse their wives also frequently abusing their children 

and between 3,000,000 and 10,000,000 children witness 

domestic violence in some form every year; 

Whereas Sanctuary for Families provided direct service to 

over 3,100 families so far this year, plus over 22,000 

through outreach, education, training, and hotline calls; 

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•HRES 1394 IH 

Whereas Sanctuary for Families has demonstrated remarkable perseverance and success in serving domestic violence and trafficking victims and their families as one of 

the largest nonprofit agencies in the State of New York 

by providing a wide range of services, including shelter, 

counseling, specialized services to children of domestic violence victims, legal advice and representation, economic 

and housing assistance, and a mentors program for survivors who speak publically and educate others about domestic violence; 

Whereas the New York City Family Justice Center in Brooklyn, New York, an initiative of the Mayor’s Office to 

Combat Domestic Violence with lead partner agency the 

Kings County District Attorney’s Office, is dedicated to 

reducing barriers faced by victims of domestic violence 

who are seeking help, enabling victims to meet with a 

prosecutor, speak with a trained counselor, and apply for 

housing and financial assistance, all in their native language while their children play safely in the next room; 

Whereas the New York City Family Justice Center has representatives from 6 city and State agencies, 14 community-based and civil legal organizations, and universities 

that provide colocated, holistic services to victims of domestic violence; 

Whereas the New York City Family Justice Center provided 

service to 10,780 new clients seeking domestic violence 

assistance from the onsite city agencies, law enforcement, 

social and civil legal services, and other partners, with an 

average of 1,000 clients visiting each month, and 2,845 

children supervised in the children’s room, Margaret’s 

Place, between July 20, 2005, and June 1, 2008; 

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Whereas Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A’s Victim 

Support Program provides invaluable services to women 

and families in Brooklyn and to the community organizations that assist and support them through offering legal 

assistance to survivors of domestic violence; promoting 

empowerment, self-sufficiency, and economic independence; improving victims’ access to shelters, housing, and 

public assistance; and addressing the needs of their children; 

Whereas Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A is dedicated 

to the safety and well-being of women and families in 

Brooklyn and working toward ending domestic violence 

and the devastating impact it has on women, families, 

and communities; 

Whereas North Brooklyn Coalition Against Family Violence 

provides community-based services and creates a locally 

based support network to enable survivors of domestic violence to negotiate the criminal justice system, break the 

cycle of violence, and increase their capacity to take back 

power and control their own lives so that they may safely 

remain in the community, if they wish, or begin new lives 

elsewhere; 

Whereas the North Brooklyn Coalition Against Family Violence has made invaluable contributions to the borough, 

where it reduces the practical and cultural barriers that 

often prevent victims from seeking or receiving assistance 

from the criminal justice system; and 

Whereas these organizations and all institutions that commendably work toward domestic violence prevention and 

provide outreach and support for victims of domestic violence should be applauded for their invaluable contribumstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS

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•HRES 1394 IH 

tions to the well-being of women, families, and communities: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) applauds the efforts of Sanctuary for Fami3 lies, the New York City Family Justice Center in 

4 Brooklyn, New York, Brooklyn Legal Services Cor5 poration A, the North Brooklyn Coalition Against 

6 Family Violence, and all organizations that engage 

7 in domestic violence prevention and provide outreach 

8 and support services for victims of domestic violence; 

9 and 

10 (2) supports raising awareness about domestic 

11 violence and its tragic consequences for women, fam12 ilies, and communities. 

Æ 

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