The City of Atlanta's City Beat D omestic violence is a plague in our country, in our City, and behind the closed doors of the homes of our families. It causes more visits of women to emergency rooms than rapes, auto accidents and muggings combined. 2,102,400 women a year are beaten in this country, when one is too many.
Domestic violence cuts across all race, class, and professional lines.
I want you to join the many brave and committed women who have long ago taken an active stand against domestic violence. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so I am reiterating a stand I officially took against Domestic Violence last April when I issued an Administrative Order that established new policies and procedures for educating our City employees about violence in our families. We must prevent and reduce violent acts by raising awareness of them, and by empowering victims through the law. I believe we, the City of Atlanta, must also set an example through leadership, and issue a challenge to other major employers to work together in abolishing domestic violence from our City. Not only is domestic violence a human tragedy, it also is responsible for great economic loss.