On the recordOctober 25, 2011
I'm here today to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I wear my purple ribbon because I'm incredibly supportive of the goals of this commemorative month and yet painfully aware that domestic violence does not confine itself to one singular month. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage all of us to keep our focus on this pernicious issue year round. It's not an exaggeration to say that domestic violence is an epidemic in this country. It affects nearly one in four women. This violence has far-reaching effects, not just for women and sometimes men who experience it, but for their families, including their children, as well as their employers and their communities, for generation after generation. The statistics and stories from my home State of Wisconsin provide a small snapshot of the impact of this violence. The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families reports that between October 1, 2009, and September 30, 2010, nearly 41,000 women, children, and men received services from domestic violence victim service providers in Wisconsin. And over 6,600 people sought refuge in a domestic violence shelter. {time} 1050 The Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence publishes an annual homicide report detailing domestic violence-related homicides. They've done this since 2000. And in this time span, at least 532 people have lost their lives in incidents related to domestic violence.…
