DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH
2024
BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
A PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, domestic violence, which can include physical, mental, sexual, emotional, and financial abuse, is a means of intimidation and violence to influence and control a partner involved in an intimate relationship; and
WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 1 in 2 women and more than 2 in 5 men have experienced some form of intimate partner abuse, including sexual and physical violence, and/or stalking, at some point in their lifetime; and
WHEREAS, according to the NC Council for Women and Youth Involvement’s grant funded agencies, more than 68,000 North Carolinians received domestic violence services in 2022-23, and more than 2,000 North Carolinians were referred to Domestic Violence Intervention Programs for offenders between April 2022 and March 2023; and
WHEREAS, in 2023, the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence found evidence of 72 homicide cases in which victims died as a direct result of domestic violence in North Carolina, with at least 55 of those cases involving a firearm; and
WHEREAS, domestic violence is a serious public health issue that results in billions of dollars spent annually in medical, mental health, and lost work productivity costs; and
WHEREAS, historically underserved populations such as LGBTQIA+ people, those of low socioeconomic status, immigrants, people with disabilities, racial and ethnic minorities, people with limited English proficiency, and people living in rural locations are disproportionately affected by domestic violence; and
WHEREAS, by working together, we can build a culture where intimate partner violence is not tolerated and all individuals can be safe, feel respected, and live free from abuse;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim October, 2024, as “DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.
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Roy Cooper
Governor
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in Raleigh this first day of October in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-four and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.