Supervisor Sequanna Taylor announced a resolution recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month today and urged the community to get involved and take action to reduce domestic violence and intimate partner violence as part of a new initiative called “Keep Us Safe.”

“Everyone should be alarmed that in Wisconsin, domestic violence claimed the lives of 58 women, men, and children last year and that in the first six months of this year, there was a 100 percent increase in homicides involving intimate partner violence and a 700 percent increase in non-fatal shootings involving intimate partner violence.

“The importance of shining a light on the problem of domestic violence is why I’ll be introducing a resolution calling on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors to recognize October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and to recognize October 20, 2016, as National #PurpleThursday.

“We need to talk with our friends and family about the devastating effects of domestic violence and intimate partner violence and what could happen if we don’t speak up. Wearing purple clothing on October 20 is an easy way to start that conversation,” said Supervisor Taylor.

Supervisor Sequanna Taylor was joined by domestic violence survivor-advocates Cyrena Martin of Mahogany C.A.R.E.S.; Alice Belcher of Impact Coalition for Families; Shelley Janowski, a survivor-advocate; Captain Amy O’Brien of the MPD’s Sensitive Crimes Unit; Martha Love of the Human Trafficking Task Force of Greater Milwaukee; Mark Johnson of Sojourner Truth House; Imani, the child of a survivor and activist with Urban Underground; Supervisor Steve F. Taylor; and Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm.

Nationwide, more than one in three women and one in four men have experienced rape, sexual violence, physical violence, psychological violence, and or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Children who witness domestic violence and intimate partner violence are six times more likely to die before the age of five, and six times more likely to commit suicide.

The National Network to End Domestic Violence has declared October 16 – 22 a week of action to end domestic violence and intimate partner violence.