The community is invited to a ceremony on Friday at 1 p.m. at the Hamilton County/Chattanooga Courts Building, 600 Market St., to proclaim October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In the ceremony, Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger and Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke will bring awareness to the problems of Domestic Violence. The Partnership for Families, Children and Adults and the Family Justice Center are joined by the Children’s Advocacy Center of Hamilton County in recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
“Domestic violence and child abuse are two issues that affect families,” said Valerie Radu, executive director of the Family Justice Center. “Three to four million children a year witness domestic violence and 45 percent to 70 percent of children who are exposed to domestic violence are also victims of child abuse.”
A total of 24 domestic violence homicides were reported in Chattanooga in 2015, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Tennessee is 6th in the nation for having the highest domestic violence homicide rate. Additionally, TBI reported 5,978 domestic violence incidents in 2015 in Hamilton County, Tennessee. Partnership and the Family Justice Center want the community to know that domestic violence is serious and can even be fatal if help is not sought.
“We seem to talk about domestic violence when it involves a high profile person or athlete,” said Regina McDevitt, chief operating officer at Partnership, “but it occurs in our community every day. The ceremony not only brings attention to the severity of domestic violence but its effect on the children who witness it. We also call for everyone in our communities to stop the violence.”
“We’re working together to show that our community is committed to stopping the violence,” said Ms. Radu. "Domestic violence has an enormous economic impact on our city and state. Our center offers comprehensive resources in one location for victims of domestic violence, elder abuse and human trafficking.”
The campaign asks the community to help stop violence and give hope to victims by sharing the 24-hour hotline 755-2700 through social media and traditional word of mouth, and by hosting domestic violence speakers at their church, civic, and business functions. More information can be found at Partnershipfca.com or Chattanooga.gov.