Mayor Wu Proclaims October Domestic Violence Awareness Month

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, October is annually recognized as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month; AND

WHEREAS, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men in Massachusetts have experienced some form of physical or sexual violence or stalking at the hands of an intimate partner and domestic violence has a significant physical, emotional, and economic impact on women; AND

WHEREAS, Domestic violence affects people of all genders, sexual orientations, ages, racial, ethnic, cultural, social, religious, and economic groups in Boston and the marginalization of certain groups in society, including undocumented individuals, transgender individuals, and people living with disabilities, increases their vulnerability to domestic violence; AND

WHEREAS, The City of Boston is home to a network of community- and hospital-based domestic violence programs that provide essential, lifesaving services for survivors, their children, and communities. Although progress has been made toward preventing and ending domestic violence and providing support to survivors and their families, significant work remains unfinished; AND

WHEREAS, Domestic Violence Awareness Month is a recognition that all survivors deserve access to culturally responsive programs and services to increase their safety and self-sufficiency and all communities deserve access to culturally responsive prevention programs and initiatives to improve overall community health and safety by challenging societal norms that perpetuate violence; NOW

THEREFORE, I, Mayor Michelle Wu, Mayor of Boston, do hereby proclaim October 2022 to be

Domestic Violence Awareness Month 

I encourage all Bostonians to play a role in preventing and, one day,

ending domestic violence in the City of Boston.

Michelle Wu, Mayor of Boston