FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 26, 2017
OCTOBER: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH
Raising Awareness about the Prevalence of Domestic Violence in our Community
Boise, Idaho – The Women’s and Children’s Alliance (WCA), Ada County Commissioners and Mayors of Boise, Eagle, Garden City, Meridian, Kuna and Star will officially declare October “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” (DVAM) Wednesday, September 27, 2017. The joint press conference will be held at 10 a.m. at the Ada County Paramedics headquarters in Boise, to stand together in solidarity with those impacted by domestic abuse.
Hadley Mayes, Ada County Paramedics Public Information Officer and domestic violence survivor said Ada County Paramedics typically respond to at least one battery call every day.
“Domestic violence happens everywhere and Ada County is no exception,” Mayes said. “The frequency with which our paramedics respond to 911 calls of this nature tells us domestic violence is an issue in our community.”
WCA Communications Manager Chris Campbell-Davis said by raising awareness, educating our community and having public conversations we can make our community a better and safer place to live and raise our families.
“This is an incredibly impactful event for residents of Ada County,” Campbell-Davis said of the joint proclamation press conference. “The collaboration of these elected officials and public agencies is paramount in raising awareness of the prevalence of domestic violence in the Treasure Valley and of the resources available, and we’re so grateful to have their support.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one-in-four women and one-in-seven men in the US have been severely physically assaulted by an intimate partner. And while we live in a beautiful family-friendly town with strong community support, domestic abuse is an insidious issue in Ada County. In 2016, according to the Ada County Sheriff’s Department there were 5,236 calls for service related to domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse made to local law enforcement agencies.
Officials will announce their respective proclamations and make remarks about the impact of domestic violence in their communities and the importance of raising awareness during the press conference. They will sign a joint ceremonial proclamation. The event will take place at the Ada County Paramedics headquarters located at 370 N. Benjamin Lane in Boise, Idaho.
###
About The WCA
The Women’s & Children’s Alliance provides safety, healing and freedom from domestic abuse and sexual assault. The WCA does so through secure shelters, professional counseling, legal advocacy, crisis services and case management to survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault. For more information, visit www.wcaboise.org. For help call our hotline at 208.343.7025.
