National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, 2015

Proclamation 9337 of September 30, 2015

National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, 2015

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Domestic violence impacts women, men, and children of
every age, background, and belief. Nearly 1 in 4 women
and 1 in 7 men in the United States have suffered
severe physical violence by an intimate partner.
Victims are deprived of their autonomy, liberty, and
security, and face tremendous threats to their health
and safety. During National Domestic Violence Awareness
Month, we reaffirm our dedication to forging an America
where no one suffers the hurt and hardship that
domestic violence causes--and we recommit to doing
everything in our power to uphold the basic human right
to be free from violence and abuse.

While physical marks may often be the most obvious
signs of the harm caused by domestic violence, the true
extent of the pain goes much deeper. Victims not only
face abuse, but often find themselves left with
significant financial insecurity. And children who
witness domestic violence often experience lifelong
trauma. These heinous acts go against all we know to be
humane and decent, and they insult our most fundamental
ideals. We all have a responsibility to try to end this
grave problem.

Prior to the passage of the Violence Against Women Act
(VAWA), many did not view domestic violence as a
serious offense, and victims often had nowhere to turn
for support. VAWA significantly transformed our
Nation--it enhanced the criminal justice response to
violence against women and expanded survivors' access
to immediate assistance and long-term resources to
rebuild their lives. The Family Violence Prevention and
Services Act is another important piece of legislation
that improved our public health response to domestic
violence and increased the availability of critical
services for victims.

My Administration has worked hard to build on the
progress of the past several decades and improve
domestic violence prevention and response efforts. We
have extended protections and prevention measures to
more victims, including in Native American and
immigrant communities, and worked to break down
barriers for more people seeking help. And the
reauthorization of VAWA I signed in 2013 prohibits--for
the first time--discrimination based on sexual
orientation and identity when providing services.
Additionally, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, most
health plans must now cover preventive services,
including screening and counseling for domestic
violence, at no additional cost. My Administration has
also sought to secure greater workplace protections by
requiring Federal agencies to develop policies that
address the effects of domestic violence and to provide
assistance to employees experiencing it. And I recently
signed an Executive Order to establish paid sick leave
for Federal contractors, which enables them to use it
for absences resulting from domestic violence.

Though we have made great progress in bringing
awareness to and providing protections against domestic
violence, much work remains to be done. In that spirit,
Vice President Joe Biden launched our 1is2many
initiative, which aims to raise awareness of dating
violence and reduce sexual assault among students,
teens, and young adults. And earlier this year, we
reaffirmed our Nation's commitment to addressing
domestic violence at all stages of

life by holding the White House Conference on Aging,
which addressed elder abuse as a public health problem
that affects millions of older Americans. These
initiatives will help advance our efforts to ensure no
person is robbed of the chance to live out their
greatest aspirations.

Safeguarding and opening doors of opportunity for every
American will remain a driving focus for our country--
and we know that crimes like domestic violence inhibit
our Nation from reaching its fullest potential. This
month, let us once again pledge our unwavering support
to those in need and recognize the advocates, victim
service providers, and organizations who work
tirelessly to extend hope and healing to survivors and
victims every day. I encourage all people in need of
assistance to call the National Domestic Violence
Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or visit www.TheHotline.org.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim October 2015 as
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I call on
all Americans to speak out against domestic violence
and support local efforts to assist victims of these
crimes in finding the help and healing they need.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
thirtieth day of September, in the year of our Lord two
thousand fifteen, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and fortieth.