Gov. Beshear, First Lady, Sen. Westerfield Join Zerov To Recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month

(MENAFN- EIN Presswire)

Governor Beshear signs a proclamation declaring October Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

A display to honor and remember Kentuckians lost to domestic violence during the last year.

FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY, UNITED STATES, October 18, 2023 /EINPresswire / -- Gov. Andy Beshear, First Lady Britainy Beshear, and Sen. Whitney Westerfield joined ZeroV at the Capitol today to recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month and honor Kentuckians lost to intimate partner violence (IPV).

Each year in October, organizations and individuals across the country come together to raise awareness about domestic violence, a term often used interchangeably with IPV, which is defined as a pattern of intentional behavior used to exert power and control over a current or former spouse or partner. Physical violence is the most recognized tactic of IPV, but emotional abuse, verbal abuse, financial abuse, and reproductive coercion are also common tactics used to make leaving an abusive relationship difficult.

Although IPV is a form of interpersonal violence, it is far from a private, individual problem. In Kentucky, 34% of women and 14% of men have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking with an IPV-related impact in their lifetimes. Making sure Kentuckians see domestic violence as a community issue is part of the mission of ZeroV, the state coalition that focuses on addressing the social conditions and systems that perpetuate IPV and that supports its 15 domestic violence programs serving all 120 Kentucky counties. ZeroV CEO Angela Yannelli says IPV is a public health issue that requires a community-wide response.

“It takes a collective effort, a Kentucky united against violence, to create a world that is safe for survivors,” Yannelli said.

Yannelli says communities can implement strategies recommended by the Centers for Disease Control to prevent and reduce IPV, like teaching safe and healthy relationship skills, creating protective environments such as in schools and the workplace, strengthening economic supports for survivors, and offering victim-centered services and housing programs.

Gov. Beshear also emphasized the importance of community-wide efforts to address IPV.

“As Governor and First Lady, but more importantly as parents, Britainy and I are dedicated to making our commonwealth a safer place for all our families,” Gov. Andy Beshear said.“We want to thank ZeroV for their work fighting domestic violence in Kentucky. We all have a role to play in building a bright and safe future for each other. During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and every month, we must lead with the courage that survivors show daily and work to end domestic violence.”

Yannelli says that while individual- and community-level actions are crucial to ending IPV, it is also important to consider the issue in a broader context.

“We can't look at intimate partner violence in a vacuum or a silo,” Yannelli said.“It is critical that we examine and understand the underlying and intersecting types of violence and conditions in order to create a meaningful and lasting outcome.”

Yannelli says survivors experience multiple forms of violence in addition to gender-based violence, including poverty, homelessness, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and xenophobia, which require an intersectional approach to both providing care and implementing solutions to IPV. She says that only by working together to address these other forms of violence can we fully serve survivors.

First Lady Britainy Beshear noted the importance of addressing root causes to protect families from IPV.

“Domestic violence affects far too many people in our commonwealth,” First Lady Britainy Beshear said.“Andy and I are committed to doing everything we can to keep the people of Kentucky safe-from providing survivors and their families with the resources they need to rebuild their lives to tackling the root causes that perpetuate the cycle of violence and put our communities at risk. It's going to take all of us working together and leading with love to stop violence in our communities.”

Part of the work to end IPV, ZeroV holds, is making sure to remember people who've been impacted by it. ZeroV makes every effort to honor Kentuckians lost to IPV each year through its annual Speak My Name project. For more than 40 years, ZeroV has tracked intimate partner-related homicides through reports from its member programs, news articles, and internet searches. Now, with the 2022 passage of Senate Bill 271, sponsored by Sen. Westerfield, ZeroV programs can look forward to a more streamlined data collection process.

Sen. Westerfield says quality data is important to creating a safer Kentucky.

“Senate Bill 271 repurposed the Criminal Justice Statistical Analysis Center to be the clearinghouse for that data statewide," Sen. Westerfield said.“The Justice Cabinet has embraced the opportunity to make the CJSAC a great tool to identify and report on patterns and gaps in our domestic violence policy and protection framework. The inaugural report has already opened our eyes to the real ramifications of domestic violence and brought attention to the important work ahead.”

ZeroV board president Andrea Robinson led the Speak My Name ceremony during today's event to remember 23 people who lost their lives to IPV during the last year. Robinson says it is ZeroV's mission to put an end to the Speak My Name project, but doing so requires taking a compassionate approach to holding people accountable for abuse. She says that people who cause harm are more than the violence they've committed.

"Survivors understand this,” Robinson said.“Oftentimes, survivors don't want the relationship to end, they just want the abuse to stop. We need to listen to survivors. Instead of writing people off, we should make sure they have healthy problem-solving tools, a chance to make amends, and the support they need to grow and live healthier lives.”

Robinson says ending domestic violence will require holding people accountable in ways that allow for growth, change, and healing.

“When we commit to the hard work of compassion, accountability, and growth, we can create a future free from violence, a future in which everyone can live and thrive in safety and peace,” Robinson said.

To learn more about IPV or to find your local domestic violence program, visit . For immediate assistance, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).

Angela Conway
ZeroV
+1 502-382-8806
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

MENAFN18102023003118003196ID1107266815