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 serv-
ices 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 re-
sponded to 229,453 domestic violence incidents and 
123,409 telephone calls were received by the city’s Do-
mestic Violence Hotline; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:56 Aug 01, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR1394.IH
HR1394
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS
•HRES 1394 IH 
Whereas in 2007, Brooklyn had the highest number of fam-
ily-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 do-
mestic violence; 
Whereas 30 percent of Americans say they know a woman 
who has been physically abused by her husband or boy-
friend in the past year; 
Whereas as many as 324,000 women each year experience vi-
olence at the hands of an intimate partner while preg-
nant; 
Whereas the Family Violence Prevention Fund found teenage 
girls are victims of sexual abuse and assault, with ap-
proximately 20 percent of female high school students re-
porting 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; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:56 Aug 01, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR1394.IH
HR1394
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS
•HRES 1394 IH 
Whereas Sanctuary for Families has demonstrated remark-
able perseverance and success in serving domestic vio-
lence 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 vi-
olence victims, legal advice and representation, economic 
and housing assistance, and a mentors program for sur-
vivors who speak publically and educate others about do-
mestic violence; 
Whereas the New York City Family Justice Center in Brook-
lyn, 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 lan-
guage while their children play safely in the next room; 
Whereas the New York City Family Justice Center has rep-
resentatives from 6 city and State agencies, 14 commu-
nity-based and civil legal organizations, and universities 
that provide colocated, holistic services to victims of do-
mestic 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; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:56 Aug 01, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR1394.IH
HR1394
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS
•HRES 1394 IH 
Whereas Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A’s Victim 
Support Program provides invaluable services to women 
and families in Brooklyn and to the community organiza-
tions that assist and support them through offering legal 
assistance to survivors of domestic violence; promoting 
empowerment, self-sufficiency, and economic independ-
ence; improving victims’ access to shelters, housing, and 
public assistance; and addressing the needs of their chil-
dren; 
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 vi-
olence 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 Vio-
lence 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 com-
mendably work toward domestic violence prevention and 
provide outreach and support for victims of domestic vio-
lence should be applauded for their invaluable contribu-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:56 Aug 01, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR1394.IH
HR1394
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS
•HRES 1394 IH 
tions to the well-being of women, families, and commu-
nities: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) applauds the efforts of Sanctuary for Fami-
lies, the New York City Family Justice Center in 
Brooklyn, New York, Brooklyn Legal Services Cor-
poration A, the North Brooklyn Coalition Against 
Family Violence, and all organizations that engage 
in domestic violence prevention and provide outreach 
and support services for victims of domestic violence; 
and 
(2) supports raising awareness about domestic 
violence and its tragic consequences for women, fam-
ilies, and communities. 
Æ 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:56 Aug 01, 2008
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR1394.IH
HR1394
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS