Don’t Look Away Day

Proclamation

By the Governor of Alabama

WHEREAS, every nine seconds in the United States a woman is assaulted or beaten; and

WHEREAS, around the world, at least one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime. Most often, the abuser is a member of her own family; and

WHEREAS, domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women—more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined; and

WHEREAS, nearly 1 in 5 teenage girls who have been in a relationship said a boyfriend threatened violence or self-harm if presented with a breakup; and

WHEREAS, every day in the U.S., more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends; and

WHEREAS, domestic violence victims lose nearly 8 million days of paid work per year in the U.S. alone—the equivalent of 32,000 full-time jobs; and

WHEREAS, the costs associated with intimate partner violence in the U.S. exceed $5.8 billion per year; additionally, $4.1 billion are for direct medical and health care services, while productivity losses account for nearly $1.8 billion; and

WHEREAS, men who as children witnessed their parents’ domestic violence were twice as likely to abuse their own wives than sons of nonviolent parents; and

WHEREAS, Domestic Violence Awareness Month provides an excellent opportunity for citizens to learn more about preventing domestic violence and stop turning a “blind eye” to warning signs with family and friends, breaking the taboo of domestic violence being the victims fault:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim October 1, 2016, as

Don’t Look Away Day

in the State of Alabama and urge all Alabamians to work together to eliminate domestic violence.

Given Under My Hand and the Great Seal of the Office of the Governor at the State Capitol in the City of Montgomery on the 1st day of October 2016.

Robert Bentley

Governor