IV 

107TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 501

Expressing the sense of Congress that Congress should raise awareness of 

domestic violence in the Nation by supporting the goals and ideals 

of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 7, 2002

Mrs. BIGGERT (for herself, Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Mr. VITTER, and 

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD) submitted the following concurrent resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of Congress that Congress should raise 

awareness of domestic violence in the Nation by supporting the goals and ideals of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Whereas domestic violence affects women, men, and children 

of all racial, social, religious, age, ethnic, and economic 

groups in the United States; 

Whereas it is estimated that a woman is battered every 15 

seconds in America, usually by her intimate partner; 

Whereas domestic violence often does not consist of a single 

incident, but is instead a continual state of victimization; 
2

•HCON 501 IH 

Whereas domestic violence is the single largest cause of injury to women in the United States, affecting 6,000,000 

women; 

Whereas it is estimated that between 1993 and 1999, more 

than half of domestic violence attacks were committed by 

a current or former spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend; 

Whereas 1 in 3 murdered women are killed by their current 

or former spouses or boyfriends; 

Whereas 88 percent of domestic violence fatalities had a documented history of physical abuse; 

Whereas 15–50 percent of abused women report interference 

from their partner with education, training or work; 

Whereas approximately 50 percent of the homeless women 

and children in the United States are on the streets because of violence in their homes; 

Whereas each year, an estimated 3,300,000 children witness 

family members committing violent attacks against their 

mothers or female caretakers; 

Whereas boys who witness their fathers’ violence are 10 times 

more likely to engage in spouse abuse in later adulthood 

than boys from nonviolent homes; 

Whereas increasing evidence indicates that there are large 

numbers of immigrant women trapped in violent homes, 

isolated by abusive spouses who use the threat of deportation to maintain power and control over them; 

Whereas past and current victims of domestic violence are 

overrepresented in the population of welfare recipients; 

Whereas there is a need to increase the public awareness and 

understanding of domestic violence and the needs of battered women and their children; 
3

•HCON 501 IH 

Whereas the month of October, 2002, has been recognized as 

an appropriate month for activities furthering awareness 

of domestic violence; and 

Whereas the dedication and successes of those working to end 

domestic violence and the strength of the survivors of domestic violence should be recognized: Now, therefore, be 

it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that Con3 gress should raise awareness of domestic violence in the 

4 Nation by supporting the goals and ideals of National Do5 mestic Violence Awareness Month.

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