H.R. No. 12

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Every October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month
	mobilizes people around the country to join in efforts to end
	domestic violence in their communities; and
	WHEREAS, More than 10 million women and men are physically
	abused by an intimate partner in the United States each year;
	domestic violence encompasses a pattern of behaviors used to gain
	or maintain power and control over a victim, and in many cases,
	physical violence reinforces other forms of psychological and
	emotional abuse such as threats, intimidation, and isolation;
	severe intimate partner violence can include instances of physical
	assault, rape, and stalking that leave victims with injuries,
	post-traumatic stress disorder, and other lasting impacts; and
	WHEREAS, While young women are most frequently the victims of
	intimate partner violence, women, men, and children of every age,
	race, background, and circumstance can fall victim to abuse at the
	hands of a family member; the damage caused by domestic violence
	extends beyond direct victims to include children who are witnesses
	to violence in their own homes, and studies have shown that children
	exposed to family violence are at higher risk for mental health
	conditions like anxiety and depression, for developing substance
	abuse disorders and certain diseases in adulthood, and for becoming
	either a victim or a perpetrator of abuse themselves; and
	WHEREAS, Domestic Violence Awareness Month evolved from the
	"Day of Unity" first observed by the National Coalition Against
	Domestic Violence in October 1981; the goal of the observance was to
	connect advocates across the nation who were working to break the
	cycle of domestic violence and abuse, and it soon expanded into an
	entire week of activities at the local, state, and national levels;
	the first Domestic Violence Awareness Month took place in October
	1987, the same year that the first national toll-free hotline for
	victims of domestic violence was established; and
	WHEREAS, During Domestic Violence Awareness Month,
	advocates, supporters, and survivors gather together to raise
	public awareness of domestic violence, to celebrate the progress
	that has been made, and to call attention to the work that must be
	done to protect future victims of this devastating crime; now,
	therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
	Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby recognize October 2024 as
	Domestic Violence Awareness Month and encourage Texans to learn
	more about how they can stand up against domestic violence in their
	communities.
	Hull
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 12 was adopted by the House on
	November 1, 2023, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House