On the recordApril 1, 2011
I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina for her kind comments and for putting attention on the Rape Crisis Centers and all of these centers which have dealt with this, because today, while we rise and we stand to call and bring to consciousness domestic violence, this is also a wonderful opportunity to thank the hundreds of thousands of people who volunteer in these shelters, who work for these agencies, who provide a safe haven for the women, the men and the children who are abused--for the victims of domestic violence. My colleague talked about what these centers do. Vera House, the agency that I stand today to represent and to talk about, has expanded their services these days to outreach, advocacy, education, and children's counseling. Children, as you heard from my colleague, are often the victims of domestic violence between spouses. They are the ones who suffer. Vera House offers counseling to these children. Most importantly, Vera House provides violence education for the perpetrators. If we are going to change behaviors, we have got to educate and to retrain the way the perpetrators think. General Leave
