[Press Conference: “Domestic Violence Awareness Month”]
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I THINK WE HAVE, AND OF COURSE, OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
IT IS THE START OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
WE'RE HERE WITH AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TRANSFORMATIONAL WORK.
ABDA, WHICH STANDS FOR AID TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE, UH, DOES, IS WE STRIVE TO END ALL FORMS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE, NOT ONLY HERE IN HOUSTON, NOT ONLY IN TEXAS, BUT THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY EACH YEAR, FOR NOW A DECADE.
SO WE'RE CELEBRATING 10 YEARS, RIGHT? 10 YEARS.
TODAY, ABDA HAS BEEN PARTNERING WITH CLEAR CHANNEL FOR A SPECIAL INITIATIVE, AN ANNUAL BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN TO SPREAD AWARENESS AND CREATE SAFER HOMES FOR FAMILIES.
VELA, UH, OUR GOOD FRIEND AND PARTNER WITH CLEAR CHANNEL OUTDOOR WILL CLOSE OUT OUR PROGRAM TODAY, UNVEILING THE BILLBOARD THAT WILL BE LOCATED ON THEIR BOARDS THROUGHOUT HOUSTON THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF OCTOBER.
UH, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF MCING TODAY.
ABDA HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART.
THE WOMEN IN MY FAMILY HAVE WORKED WITH AND FOR ABDA.
MANY OF THE WOMEN I KNOW ACTUALLY HELPED FOUND THIS LIFESAVING ORGANIZATION, AND I HOPE OTHERS, UH, THAT ARE LISTENING WILL JOIN ME IN SUPPORTING THEM AS WELL.
YOU'LL HEAR FROM PARTNERS TODAY ON CRITICAL ACTIONS ACROSS HOUSTON THAT ARE, UH, THIS COALITION IS TAKING ABDA HAS RESPONSE TEAMS, UH, TO ABDA.
CLIENTS ARE SHARING THEIR INSPIRATIONAL STORIES WITH US, HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPACT OF ABDIS WORK.
AND OF COURSE, WE WILL ALSO HEAR FROM MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
UH, BEFORE I MAKE INTRODUCTIONS THOUGH, I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE HOW CRITICAL EFFORTS LIKE THIS ARE ONE IN THREE WOMEN AND ONE IN FOUR MEN EXPERIENCE PHYSICAL VIOLENCE FROM A PARTNER IN THEIR LIFETIME.
MANY OF THOSE THAT YOU'LL HEAR FROM TODAY, UH, WHETHER THEY ARE COMFORTABLE ACKNOWLEDGING OR ACKNOWLEDGING IT OR NOT, ARE ACTUALLY SURVIVORS AS WELL.
WE NEED THE MEDIA AND EVERYONE LISTENING TO DO THEIR PART TO DE-STIGMATIZE THIS ISSUE, TO TURN A STORY FROM VICTIMHOOD INTO SURVIVORSHIP.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS, TOO MANY CASES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE GO UNREPORTED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO WE NEED HELP TO ENCOURAGE FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO SEEK HELP BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT VIOLENT CRIME, AND WE SEE A LOT OF HEADLINES THAT OFTEN TIMES WE DON'T HEAR ON THE REPORTING THE CORRELATION BETWEEN HOMICIDES AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, BUT I'LL SHARE A FEW NUMBERS.
OF THE NEARLY 5,000 WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES WHO WERE MURDERED IN 2021, AT LEAST 34% OF THOSE WOMEN WERE KILLED BY AN INTIMATE PARTNER TO BRING THIS ISSUE HOME.
THE TEXAS COUNCIL ON FAMILY VIOLENCE REPORTED THAT IN TWENTY TWENTY TWO, TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN TEXANS WERE KILLED BY AN INTIMATE PARTNER ACROSS 63 COUNTIES, 179 WOMEN AND 37 MEN.
THAT WAS THE SECOND HIGHEST NUMBER OF INTIMATE PARTNER HOMICIDES IN THE LAST DECADE, MORE THAN HALF OF ALL FEMALE HOMICIDE VICTIMS ARE KILLED BY A CURRENT OR FORMAL FORMER MALE INTIMATE PARTNER.
AND I'M GONNA SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME.
MORE THAN HALF OF ALL FEMALE HOMICIDE VICTIMS ARE KILLED BY A CURRENT OR FORMER MALE INTIMATE PARTNER.
SO THE BOTTOM LINE HERE IS THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS INTRINSICALLY TIED TO THE NUMBERS WE SEE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT VIOLENT CRIME.
THERE IS ALSO A TRAGIC LINK BETWEEN FIREARMS AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
A FIREARM AND A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION MAKES IT FIVE TIMES MORE LETHAL.
RECENTLY, UH, WE MOURNED THE LOSS OF A RICE UNIVERSITY STUDENT, ANDREA RODRIGUEZ AVILA, SHOT AND KILLED IN HER DORM ROOM DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES BY A MAN THAT SHE WAS DATING.
RED FLAG LAWS ARE ALSO KNOWN AS EXTREME RISK.
PROTECTIVE ORDERS ARE A CRITICAL TOOL FOR ADVOCATES LIKE A ABDA TO REMOVE FIREARMS FROM KNOWN ABUSERS.
THERE WAS A RECENT, UH, SUPREME COURT CASE USV RAHIMI THAT ACTUALLY CAME OUT OF TEXAS IN THE FIFTH CIRCUIT.
AND THE SUPREME COURT RULED RED FLAG LAWS AS CONSTITUTIONAL EARLIER THIS YEAR IN A VERY RARE EIGHT TO ONE DECISION.
AND ABDA WAS ON THE FOREFRONT OF
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THAT FIGHT, AND WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR VOICE.YOU CAN BE ON THE FOREFRONT OF THIS FIGHT, TOO.
UH, AGAIN, I'M ASKING MEDIA AND ALL PARTNERS TO SHARE OUT RESOURCES.
THERE IS A 24 7 NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE.
YOU CAN ALSO TEXT BEGIN TO EIGHT EIGHT SEVEN EIGHT EIGHT.
YOU CAN CALL ABDA AT (713) 224-9911, OR VISIT THEIR WEBSITE@ABDA.ORG FOCUSING ON ABDA TODAY.
IN 2023, THEIR PROGRAMS CONTRIBUTED TO SAFER HOMES FOR OVER OVER 6,000 ADULT AND CHILD VICTIMS SERVING OVER 2200 SURVIVORS THROUGH THE LEGAL PROCESS.
UH, AND SO MANY OF US ARE GRATEFUL TO THEIR CONTINUED WORK.
AND AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UH, ALL OF OUR PARTNERS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE WITH US TODAY, INCLUDING MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER, TIFFANY THOMAS.
WE HAVE STAFF, UM, FROM COUNCIL MEMBER PECK'S OFFICE.
UH, SHE CHAIRS NOW OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE.
UH, WE HAVE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN'S OFFICE.
WE HAVE STAFF FROM MARY ANNE HUFFMAN'S OFFICE.
A LOT OF THEM ARE STILL STUCK IN COMMITTEE, UH, BUT WOULD BE HERE IF THEY COULD.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA'S OFFICE, AND I HAVE PERMISSION TO SHARE, UH, THAT LUZ LOPEZ, UH, WHO'S REPRESENTING THE COMMISSIONER, WHO IS A VERY, UM, STRONG ADVOCATE IN THIS ARENA.
SO LOU, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY AND YOUR STRENGTH.
UH, I KNOW THAT CHRIS CONTROLLER, CHRIS HOLLINS ALSO WANTED TO BE HERE.
I'M ALSO JOINED BY, UH, SENATOR MOLLY COOK.
UH, WE HAVE STAFF FROM SENATOR ALVARADO'S OFFICE.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE REPRESENTATIVE JOHN ROSENTHAL JOINING US.
REPRESENTATIVE JOLANDA JONES, WHO YOU'LL HEAR FOR IN A MINUTE, AS WELL AS A SURVIVOR.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE ANNA CARPENTER, UH, WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM HER, AND ALSO HPD, UH, JULIE PLEASANT, UH, WHO'S OUR POLICE ADMINISTRATOR AND HAS CHAMPIONED, UH, A LOT OF SURVIVOR EFFORTS.
UH, I NOW GET, HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE MAISHA COULTER, CEO OF ABDA.
UNDER HER LEADERSHIP, ABDA HAS GROWN AND TRANSFORMED THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF HOUSTONIANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
HER VISION AND DEDICATION, ALONG WITH HARDWORKING STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS HAVE PROPELLED THIS INSTITUTION TO THE FOREFRONT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS, AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, ACTION.
UH, WITH THAT MAISHA, THANK YOU CA, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE STAND TOGETHER AND TRY TO DO SOMETHING TO AFFECT THE PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS THAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
ABDA HAS BEEN AROUND NOW FOR 44 YEARS, STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF OUR FOUNDING MOTHERS NCJW MEMBERS, UM, WHO STARTED THIS ORGANIZATION WITH THE HOPE TO HELP, UH, AID INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE LEAVING ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS.
AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT FOR THE LAST 44 YEARS.
OUR UNIQUE SERVICES IN THIS SPACE ARE LEGAL REPRESENTATION, FREE TO IN INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LEAVING ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS.
WE PROVIDE DIVORCE, CUSTODY, CHILD SUPPORT, UM, AND THOSE PROTECTIVE ORDERS THAT ARE CRITICAL TO HELPING TO KEEP INDIVIDUALS SAFE AS THEY LEAVE.
LEAVING IS THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS IN A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON TRYING TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS IMMEDIATELY WHEN PEOPLE COME TO US FOR SERVICES.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE DO THAT IS UNIQUE IN THIS SPACE, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY IS PROVIDE BATTERING INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION SERVICES.
WE BELIEVE THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO EFFECTIVELY END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WE HAVE TO START AT THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM.
AND ANYONE WHO IS IDENTIFIED AS CAUSING HARM IN THEIR ABUSIVE, I MEAN IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP, WE WANNA HELP THEM.
BIP IS INDIVIDUAL, UM, SERVICES, BUT IN A GROUP SETTING, WE DO PSYCHOSOCIAL ASSESSMENTS OF THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO US.
MANY OF THEM COME TO US AS A RESULT OF BEING, UH, CHARGED WITH A FAMILY VIOLENCE CRIME.
UM, THEY STAY WITH US FOR A MINIMUM OF 18 WEEKS OF SERVICES.
THEY MEET WITH A TRAINED PROFESSIONAL, USUALLY A, UM, MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER, LICENSED PERSON, UM, FOR THAT 18 WEEK TENURE.
THEY'RE THERE TWO HOURS PER WEEK, AND THEY ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A NON-ABUSE PLAN AT THE END OF THE TIME THAT THEY SPEND WITH US IN HOPES THAT GOING FORWARD, THEY ENGAGE IN RELATIONSHIPS WHERE THEY MAKE HEALTHY, WHOLE AND IMPORTANT AND, AND
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CRITICAL CHOICES AROUND HOW TO KEEP THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS SAFE.AND FINALLY, WE PROVIDE, UH, COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND PREVENTION TO EVERYONE.
WE WANT ALL INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO BE AWARE OF WHAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HOW IT ACTUALLY IMPACTS ALL OF US.
UM, WE PROVIDE PREVENTION IN, UM, ALL OF THE ISDS WHERE WE ACTUALLY PROVIDE, UH, BE, UH, CRITICAL, UM, TRAINING TO YOUNG PEOPLE WHO, UM, MIGHT WANT TO KNOW HOW TO BE IN A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP.
UM, WE PROVIDE EDUCATION TO OUR, UM, PROFESSIONALS, SO NURSES, UH, DOCTORS, PEOPLE WHO WILL ENCOUNTER INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, WITH OUR CAP TEAM.
AND THAT IS OUR COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND PREVENTION TEAM.
SO IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN PURSUING ANY OF THOSE SERVICES, UM, THE NUMBER HAS BEEN PROVIDED, BUT I WILL SAY IT AGAIN.
NOW I WANNA INTRODUCE YOU TO, UM, ONE OF OUR CLIENTS, FORMER CLIENTS, WHO IS GOING TO SHARE HER STORY AND HOW, UM, THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDED IMPACTED HER IN HER JOURNEY.
UM, MEGAN, IF YOU WILL COME TO THE TABLE.
UH, MY NAME IS MEGAN RAKI AND I'M A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVOR.
I WAS IN A FINANCIALLY AND MENTALLY ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP FOR OVER TWO YEARS.
UM, IN JANUARY 12TH, 2017, THAT RELATIONSHIP BECAME PHYSICALLY ABUSIVE.
UM, FOLLOWING THAT, I DEFINITELY TRIED TO LEAVE, UM, AND IT RESULTED, UM, IN A DIFFICULT PROCESS.
UM, SORRY, MY NOTES ARE KIND OF JUMBLED HERE.
UM, MY ABUSER WAS ARRESTED AND QUICKLY RELEASED AFTER BEING CHARGED WITH FAMILY VIOLENCE AND STALKING SHORTLY AFTER HE ENTERED INTO A MURDER FOR HIRE PLOT TO HAVE ME KILLED.
IT IS BY THE GRACE OF GOD AND THE WORK OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, MAJOR CRIMES DIVISION THAT I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY.
THANKFULLY, AFTER A DIFFICULT TWO WEEK TRIAL, UM, MY ABUSER IS IN JAIL FOR LIFE.
UM, ABDA WAS A VITAL PART OF MY RECOVERY.
I RECEIVED OVER TWO YEARS OF TRAUMA THERAPY FROM ABDA, AND IT MAKES ME THE PERSON I AM TODAY.
UM, THE RESOURCES THAT ABDA PROVIDES ARE CRUCIAL FOR SURVIVORS.
UM, CURRENTLY I SERVE ON AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR ABDA AND VOLUNTEER ON A REGULAR BASIS.
HELPING OTHER SURVIVORS IS A ONGOING PART OF MY RECOVERY AND IS IMPERATIVE.
UM, I STRONGLY ADVISE ANYBODY WHO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH ABDA AND DONATE AND CONTINUE TO ASSIST IN THEIR, UH, ABILITY TO END FAMILY VIOLENCE, UM, TO TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S AN AMAZING RESOURCE, AND AGAIN, I WOULD NOT BE THE PERSON I AM, BE SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT THOSE RESOURCES.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE MY STORY.
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THANK YOU MU AND THANK YOU ALSO TO LORENA, BOTH FOR SHARING YOUR STORIES.NEXT, UH, WE'RE SO DELIGHTED TO HAVE WITH US ANNA CARPENTER, UH, THE MAYOR'S PRESS SECRETARY.
MY NAME IS ANNA CARPENTER, AND I'M HERE AS AN ACTING PRESS SECRETARY FOR, UH, OUR MAYOR, JOHN WHITMEYER.
HE WISHES HE COULD BE HERE TODAY, UM, BECAUSE THIS ISSUE IS ONE THAT IS VERY CLOSE TO HIS HEART.
HOWEVER, HE IS CURRENTLY AT, UH, THE UNION PICKET LINE FOR OUR LONGSHOREMEN OUT IN SEA, BROOKS STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE WORKERS.
SO PUBLIC SAFETY, AS YOU WELL KNOW, HAS ALWAYS BEEN A TOP PRIORITY FOR MAYOR WHITMEYER THROUGHOUT HIS TIME IN THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE AND NOW AS MAYOR.
AND HE EXTENDS THAT TO ENSURING THAT SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAVE THE RESOURCES AND PROTECTIONS THAT THEY NEED.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS NOT JUST A PRIVATE ISSUE, IT IS A PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS.
AS THE NUMBERS SHARED BY OUR COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN SHOW TODAY, WE ARE PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS BILLBOARD INITIATIVE, WHICH WILL RAISE AWARENESS AND REMIND EVERYONE THAT A TALKING ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHOULD NEVER BE TABOO.
BECAUSE SILENCE ONLY PROTECTS THE PERPETRATORS AND ISOLATES THE VICTIMS. WE OWE A HUGE DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO ABDA AND CLEAR CHANNEL OUTDOOR FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE PARTNERSHIP FOR 10 YEARS, AND MAKING THIS AND ALL THE OTHERS, UH, INITIATIVES IN THE PAST POSSIBLE.
YOUR COLLABORATION WILL ENSURE THAT OUR MESSAGE REACHES ALL CORNERS OF HOUSTON, OFFERING HOPE TO THOSE TRAPPED IN THESE SITUATIONS.
ON BEHALF OF MAYOR WHITMEYER, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO EXTEND TO, UH, A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, WHICH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN ALREADY MENTIONED, AND ALL OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE HERE WITH US TODAY, AND ALSO INVITE YOU AND THE PUBLIC AND THE MEDIA TO BE PART OF THIS FIGHT.
FINALLY, WE'RE HONORED, ESPECIALLY TO HAVE OUR TWO SURVIVORS WHO SPOKE TODAY, AND ANY OF THE OTHER SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THAT ARE WITH US HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING OUT AND SHARING YOUR STORY.
YOUR COURAGE IS AN INSPIRATION TO US ALL.
ANNA AND I, UH, FORGOT TO SAY THAT BOTH ANNA AND ABDA AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM WILL BE PROVIDING REMARKS IN SPANISH SO THAT, UM, THOSE COVERING IN SPANISH CAN HAVE A, A SOLID SOUND CLIP TOGETHER FOR THAT.
UH, AND I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, OUR CHAIR OF PUBLIC SAFETY, AND WE ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S OFFICE AS WELL.
UH, NEXT WE ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM DISTRICT ATTORNEY KIM.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.
ISHA, YOUR LAWYER, WHEREVER YOU ARE, THERE YOU ARE.
THEIR LAWYERS PROVIDE AN INCREDIBLE SERVICE TO CRIME VICTIMS AND TO PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT WANT TO WAIT THROUGH THE ABUSE THEY'RE SUFFERING TO BECOME CRIME VICTIMS. UH, I'M KIM OG HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY, TOP LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL IN HARRIS COUNTY.
AND I'M HERE TO PUT AN EXCLAMATION POINT BEHIND WHAT ALL OF THESE SPEAKERS HAVE SAID.
WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES ARE THE SINGLE GREATEST NUMBER OF CRIMES FILED IN HARRIS COUNTY EACH YEAR.
IT IS THE NUMBER ONE MOST COMMON CRIME REPORTED, AND YET WE KNOW IT'S UNDER REPORTED.
THAT'S WHY WE FIGHT HARD TO HOLD PERPETRATORS WHO CAUSE INJURY TO VICTIMS CRIMINALLY ACCOUNTABLE.
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WHAT'S SO HELPFUL ABOUT ABDA IS THAT A VICTIM, MALE OR FEMALE, ESPECIALLY WITH CHILDREN WHEN THEY WANT TO LEAVE AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP, OFTEN HAVE TO FIGHT ALE LEGAL BATTLE IN THE CIVIL COURTS AS WELL AS THE CRIMINAL COURTS.AND THAT'S WHERE ABDA COMES IN.
SO IN 2023, WE FILED 16,524 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES.
OF THOSE 77 WERE INTIMATE PARTNER MURDERS, MEN AND WOMEN.
IN 2024, THROUGH THE END OF SEPTEMBER, WE FILED 12,263 CASES WITH 53 MURDERS TO DATE.
EVEN ONE IS TOO MANY THANK YOU TO CLEAR CHANNEL AND TO LEELA FOR REMINDING HOUSTONIANS, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN TO YOU TO BE OUR PROBLEM.
AND TOGETHER THERE ARE RESOURCES AND SOLUTIONS.
I REALLY WANNA THANK OUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS FOR BEING HERE.
UH, THEY WILL CONSIDER LEGISLATION TO STRENGTHEN THE PROTECTION FOR CRIME VICTIMS IN THIS NEXT AND COMING SESSION.
AND WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BEING SO PREVALENT, I THINK WE'VE ALL GOT THE MOTIVATION TO DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER AS ELECTED OFFICIALS TO PROTECT OUR PUBLIC.
FINALLY, I WANNA THANK ALL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRST RESPONDERS IN THE ROOM.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS THE MOST DANGEROUS CRIME TO RESPOND TO.
WE'VE SEEN A NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS JUST DURING MY WATCH KILLED WHEN TRYING TO RESPOND TO A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION.
SO THEY ARE WHO WE PUT IN THE LINE OF DANGER.
AND BECAUSE WE DO, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE TO THEM FINALLY, TO THE VICTIMS. WITHOUT YOU, NOBODY KNOWS.
WE CAN TALK ALL DAY LONG, BUT WITHOUT CRIME VICTIMS TO TELL THEIR STORY, THE PUBLIC JUST ISN'T GOING TO GET IT.
SO THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY FOR COMING TOGETHER, WEARING PURPLE, AND, UH, BEING NOT JUST AWARE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BUT DOING THINGS, LEGAL HELP, PROVIDING SERVICES TO PEOPLE TO END THIS CRIME.
AND, UH, GLAD COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
I KNOW YOU WERE PREVIOUSLY CHAIRING A COMMITTEE.
UH, NEXT WE ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM, AS WE TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PARTNERSHIP WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, POLICE ADMINISTRATOR FOR HPD JULIE PLEASANT, I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYBODY AND ALL OF OUR, ALL OF OUR POLITICAL, UH, FIGURES WHO ARE HERE THAT SHOW THIS KIND OF SUPPORT FOR OUR MISSION.
UH, WE HAVE SUPPORT FROM OUR NEW CHIEF, AND THAT MEANS EVERYTHING IN THIS MAYOR MEANS EVERYTHING.
UM, AND TWO, OUR COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS WHO ARE HERE AND OUR VICTIMS. WITHOUT OUR COLLABORATION WITH ABDA AND SO MANY OF OUR OTHER PARTNERS THAT GIVE THAT SUPPORT, UH, WE COULDN'T DO OUR JOB.
IT WOULD JUST BE A CYCLE AND IT WOULDN'T STOP.
I DO WANNA ADD A LITTLE CONTEXT TO THE NUMBERS THAT WE'VE HEARD.
YEAR TO DATE, ONE IN FIVE OF OUR HOMICIDES HAVE BEEN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, INTIMATE PARTNER.
AND THEN TO LET YOU KNOW, 80% OF VICTIMS WHO FALL TO INTIMATE PARTNER HOMICIDE HAVE REPORTED BEING STALKED PRIOR TO THEIR DEATH.
30 TO 50% OF OFFICER OFFICERS WHO ARE KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY ARE FROM SUSPECTS OR ABUSERS WHO HAVE A RECORD OF STRANGULATION.
SO IF THIS ISN'T VIOLENT CRIME, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.
UM, IT IS WHAT WE KNOW WILL HAPPEN ON AN ESCALATED SCALE.
WHAT OUR MISSION IS, IS TO STAND WITH OUR PARTNERS, BRING AWARENESS.
LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT PLEASE CALL SOMEONE.
AND SO OUR PARTNERS LIKE ABDA AND OUR OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS CAN GET YOU STRONG ENOUGH.
AND IF THAT'S YOUR SENSE OF JUSTICE IS TO LEAVE, THEN LET US HELP YOU DO THAT.
AND IF IT'S TO WORK ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO PROSECUTION, THEN WE'VE GOT WARM HANDOFFS WITH OUR ADVOCATES AT THE DA'S OFFICE.
DON'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE TOLD, WHICH IS EVERYTHING'S GONNA GET TAKEN AWAY, AND YOU'RE THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO JAIL.
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THERE IS EVERYBODY STANDING HERE AND OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.A VICTIM NO LONGER HAS A VOICE.
A SURVIVOR HAS THEIR VOICE, AND IT IS ALL OF OUR JOBS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SURVIVORS LIKE THOSE STANDING UP HERE TODAY.
UH, NEXT WE WILL HEAR FROM, UH, HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
ON BEHALF OF SHERIFF ED GONZALEZ.
AS YOU KNOW, OCTOBER IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
AND TODAY, HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE REAFFIRMS OUR COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF ALL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS A PERVASIVE ISSUE THAT AFFECTS RESIDENTS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
IT'S A CRIME THAT THRIVES IN SILENCE AND FEAR, AND IT'S OUR MISSION TO BREAK THAT SILENCE AND PROTECT THOSE AT RISK AND HOLD ABUSERS ACCOUNTABLE.
NO MATTER WHAT WALK OF LIFE YOU COME FROM ALL GENDERS, ALL RACES, RICH OR POOR.
AT THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WE ARE DEDICATED TO WORKING TIRELESSLY TO PROTECT AND SUPPORT THOSE IMPACTED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
OUR ENTIRE TEAM STANDS READY TO PROVIDE HELP, RESOURCES AND JUSTICE.
WE ENCOURAGE ANYONE EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR ANYONE WHO KNOWS SOMEONE AFFECTED TO REACH OUT FOR HELP.
WE WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS ALONE.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF TEEN DATING VIOLENCE, WHICH IS A SERIOUS AND OFTEN UNDER-REPORTED PROBLEM.
STUDIES INDICATE THAT NEARLY ONE IN THREE ADOLESCENTS IN THE US EXPERIENCED PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, OR VERBAL ABUSE FROM A DATING PARTNER.
THIS IS EVIDENCE BY EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE JUST THIS PAST WEEKEND WHERE SADLY, A 17-YEAR-OLD LOST HER LIFE AS A RESULT OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE.
TEEN DATING VIOLENCE CAN TAKE MANY FORMS, INCLUDING PHYSICAL VIOLENCE, EMOTIONAL MANIPULATION, SEXUAL ABUSE, DIGITAL HARASSMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND TEXTING.
IF YOU'RE IN IMMEDIATE DANGER, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL OR TEXT NINE ONE ONE.
YOUR SAFETY IS OUR PRIORITY FOR ONGOING SUPPORT.
OUR VICTIM ASSISTANCE UNIT IS AVAILABLE TO HELP.
YOU CAN REACH THEM AT 7 1 3 2 7 4 9 3 6 9.
YOU CAN ALSO TEXT QUESTIONS IN ENGLISH OR SPANISH TO 8 3 2 4 7 0 6 7 7 2.
WE STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH ALL VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
TOGETHER WE CAN CREATE A SAFER HARRIS COUNTY.
WE CAN WORK TOWARD FUTURE WHERE NO ONE HAS TO SUFFER IN SILENCE BY RAISING AWARENESS AND FOSTERING OPEN COMMUNICATION.
LET US TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY DURING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH TO REMIND OURSELVES AND OUR COMMUNITY THAT HELP IS AVAILABLE.
WE WILL CONTINUE FIGHTING FOR SAFETY OF EVERYONE, AND WE INVITE OUR COMMUNITY TO JOIN US IN THIS VITAL MISSION.
IT AFFECTS ALL OF US, AND WE ARE ALL HERE TO HELP EACH OTHER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND DEDICATION TO THIS CAUSE.
TOGETHER WE CAN BRING HOPE AND SAFETY TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
LET'S STAND TOGETHER AND END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND AS A REMINDER, TONIGHT IS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
PLEASE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS AND YOUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
GET TO KNOW 'EM, MEET YOUR PEOPLE, AND LET'S WORK THROUGH THIS TOGETHER.
AND PLEASE PASS ALONG OUR APPRECIATION TO SHERIFF GONZALEZ FOR, UM, HIS CONTINUED STAND WITH OUR SURVIVOR COMMUNITY.
NEXT WE WILL HEAR, UH, FROM MY FRIEND AND ONE OF THE STRONGEST PEOPLE I KNOW, STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOLANDA JONES.
UM, UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
I'M THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR HOUSE DISTRICT 1 47, A FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, WELCOME TO HOUSE DISTRICT 1 47
UM, IT'S INTERESTING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CA AND SAID ONE OF THE STRONGEST WOMEN THAT SHE KNOWS, WELL, STRONG PEOPLE CAN BE, UH, ABUSED AS WELL.
AND WHEN PEOPLE SEE ME, THEY DON'T BELIEVE IT.
I WAS, UM, STUCK IN A SIX YEAR DOMESTICALLY ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP FROM PHYSICAL VIOLENCE TO SEXUAL VIOLENCE, TO FINANCIAL VIOLENCE.
AND I WAS PROBABLY THE LEAST, UM, PRODUCTIVE IN MY LIFE DURING THAT TIME.
WHEN I MET MY EX-HUSBAND, I WAS A DEFENDING UNITED STATES STEPATHLON CHAMPION.
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I LITERALLY DIDN'T DEFEND MY TITLE BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT ME TO.SO I WON THE 1989 UNITED STATES TRIATHLON CHAMPION, AND I MET HIM IN 1990.
UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T EVER BEEN STRANGLED BEFORE, TRUST ME, YOU DON'T WANT TO BE STRANGLED.
BUT IF YOU'RE STRANGLED, YOU LITERALLY CAN'T BREATHE TO SCREAM AND ASK FOR HELP.
BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I WAS ABLE, UM, TO GET AWAY.
IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE MY, UH, DATE OF GETTING AWAY FROM HIM WAS NOVEMBER 8TH, 1995.
AND WHEN I TALK ABOUT IT HOWEVER MANY YEARS, THIS IS LATER, UM, ALMOST 30 YEARS LATER, I STILL CRY BECAUSE IT'S LIKE I GO BACK.
UM, I'M REALLY THANKFUL TO ABDA.
I KNEW EVERYBODY THOUGHT I WAS STRONG, AND SO I WAS ASHAMED TO BE IN A RELATIONSHIP THAT I COULDN'T GET AHOLD OF.
AND HE JUST PSYCHOLOGICALLY WARFARE, FARED ME TO THINKING THAT I WAS WORTHLESS AND USELESS AND DUMB AND A BAD MOM AND, AND A TERRIBLE BODY JUST, AND I BELIEVED HIM.
UM, AND I WAS A LAWYER AT FIRST.
I WAS A LAW STUDENT, AND THEN I WAS A LAWYER.
BUT THANKFULLY I WENT TO ABDA.
SO THEY'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.
AND WHILE I WAS AFRAID, AND I ALSO APPLIED FOR WELFARE IN 1994, BUT WHILE I WAS AFRAID TO, TO SAVE MYSELF AS I WAS SNEAKING AND GOING TO ABDA AND LEARNING THAT MY SON, WE HAD A CHILD, HE WAS GONNA LEARN HOW TO BE ABUSIVE.
IF HE LIVED IN THAT HOUSEHOLD, I LEFT FOR HIM BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT MY CHILD TO BE ABUSIVE LIKE HIS FATHER.
UM, SO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
SO I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO COME.
I HAVE EVERY, EVERY YEAR I HAVE TWO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EVENTS.
I HAVE A DIVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS EVENT IN OCTOBER FOR GROWNUPS.
UM, THIS YEAR'S CALLED MIGHT I DIE BECAUSE BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THERE, THERE'S A LETHALITY ASSESSMENT THAT DETERMINES HOW LIKELY YOU ARE YOU ARE TO DIE FROM THE RELATIONSHIP THAT YOU'RE IN.
THAT'S ON OCTOBER 17TH AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
THE SECOND EVENT THAT I HAVE EVERY YEAR IS A TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS IN FEBRUARY.
I HAVE NOT SET THAT YET, BUT I WILL HAVE THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE, NEED TO KNOW WHAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LOOKS LIKE.
YOU DON'T KNOW THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS SOMEONE CONSTANTLY CALLING YOU, TEXTING YOU, GETTING UPSET WITH YOU IF YOU DON'T RESPOND BACK, AND THEY'RE MICROMANAGING YOUR LIFE.
IT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE OR DEATH.
UM, I'VE ACTUALLY GOTTA LEAVE 'CAUSE I'M GONNA GO TO THE PICKET LINE FOR THE LONGSHOREMAN.
SO, BUT I WANT TO PRESENT, I WANT, I WANT TO PRESENT TWO CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS, ONE TO CLEAR CHANNEL OUTDOOR.
LEE ELLA, CAN YOU COME UP HERE? YES, MA'AM.
I KNOW HOW MUCH BILLBOARDS COST.
UM, AND SO I WANT TO THANK CLEAR CHANNEL FOR BEING DEDICATED TO BRINGING AWARENESS TO THIS.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST, IT IS TERRORISM.
IT'S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST PEOPLE THAT YOU LOVE.
AND I WANNA PRESENT THAT ALSO TO ABDA, TO AID TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE.
I HAVE REFERRED VERY MANY CLIENTS TO ABDA, AND I HAVE BEEN A CLIENT OF ABDA BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO GET OUT OR YOU THINK YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO GET OUT.
AND ABDA PROVIDES SERVICES TO YOU THAT NORMALLY COSTS.
AND IF YOU HADN'T MET MAISHA, I'M PROBABLY GONNA GET IN TROUBLE FOR SAYING THIS, BUT SHE'S A BADASS.
UM, SHE'S ON THE FRONT LINES AND SHE'S AN EXPERT AND SHE'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE SPEAKERS AT MY EVENT.
UM, WE'RE, WE'LL BE DOING LETHALITY ASSESSMENTS, SO PLEASE COME.
SO YOU CAN FIGURE OUT IF YOU MIGHT DIE IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP.
BUT I WON'T READ, UM, THE CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION.
BUT THEY BASICALLY RECOGNIZE CLEAR CHANNEL AND ABDA FOR DOING THIS VERY THANKLESS WORK.
UM, PEOPLE IN MY FAMILY ARE GRATEFUL TO YOU.
SOME OF MY CLIENTS ARE GRATEFUL TO YOU.
AND I WILL TELL YOU, I ACTUALLY, PRIOR TO BEING CALLED BIP, IT WAS CALLED PIVOT I
IT IS REALLY HARD TO GET BATTERERS TO APPRECIATE THAT THEY'RE BATTERERS, UH, THE WAY THAT THEY THINK IS CRAZY.
UH, IN ANY CASE, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
JUST KNOW THAT YOU CAN BE A LAWYER, YOU CAN BE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, YOU CAN BE A SUCCESSFUL, AND YOU CAN BE A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS JOLANDA JONES.
I'VE GOT A EXIT STAGE LEFT TO GO STANDING AND,
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UH, UNITED WITH THE LONGSHOREMAN, UM, BECAUSE A FAIR DAY'S WAGE FOR LABOR MATTERS.AND OH, BY THE WAY, IF A PERSON IS NOT WORKING, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO BE ABUSIVE.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU REPRESENTATIVE JONES FOR BEING HERE.
UM, LASTLY, WE, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BRINGING UP LEE VILLA, WHO IS AN EXCEPTIONAL, UH, COMMUNITY PARTNER THROUGHOUT HOUSTON, THROUGHOUT OUR REGION.
UM, WE, WE COULDN'T BRING THE AWARENESS FORWARD AND BE REACHING AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE ARE WITHOUT YOU.
UH, YOU HAVE BEEN IN THIS FIGHT WITH US FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
UH, SO IT'S MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE YOU, BUT ALSO TO THANK YOU FOR THIS IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIP WITH ABTA.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN AND, UH, FOR ALL THE OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS AND CERTAINLY FOR REPRESENTATIVE JONES, UH, WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE RECOGNITION.
BUT YOU KNOW, THIS IS A FIGHT AS WE'VE HEARD THAT WE'RE ALL IN.
UM, AND CLEAR CHANNEL HAS BEEN A COMMUNITY PARTNER WITH A LOT OF NONPROFITS OVER THE YEARS, BUT WITH THIS NONPROFIT FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS.
AND WE HOPE THAT THERE'S A DAY WHEN WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT THESE BILLBOARDS UP, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S NOT NOW.
AND SO IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO REACH MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN NOT ONLY HOUSTON, BUT THE SURROUNDING AREA AS WELL.
COUNCIL MEMBER, WE'RE GONNA BE IN A LOT OF COUNTIES SURROUNDING HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY BECAUSE THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S JUST IN HOUSTON.
AND, UM, THE NEED FOR THE ADVER SERVICES ARE EVERYWHERE.
MAISHA, WE ARE SO PROUD TO BE A PARTNER WITH YOU AND YOUR GROUP, YOUR DYNAMIC, UH, TEAM THAT YOU HAVE.
UH, AND THAT, UM, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ON THE SCREENS AND IN FRONT OF US HERE ARE THE FIVE DIFFERENT DESIGNS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ROTATED THROUGHOUT THE HOUSTON AREA.
UH, SOME ON THE SURFACE STREETS IN HOUSTON, BUT UH, ALSO ON OUR DIGITAL BILLBOARDS IN THE SUBURBAN AREAS.
UM, AND, UM, WE'RE GOING TO PUT THOSE IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH AND, UH, MAYBE SOME OTHER LANGUAGES TOO.
WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT THIS MORNING.
SO, SO WE ARE, THAT'S THE, THE BEAUTY OF THE DIGITAL BILLBOARDS IS WE CAN, THAT HAS A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY.
WE CAN CHANGE THEM AS OFTEN AS WE WANT TO.
UM, AND, UH, IT REACHES A INORDINATE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.
UM, SO YOU'LL SEE THESE ON THE STREETS.
THIS IS A YEAR LONG COMMITMENT FROM CLEAR CHANNEL.
THIS IS NOT JUST THIS MONTH 'CAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THIS MONTH, BUT THIS GOES THROUGHOUT OCTOBER OF NEXT YEAR AS WELL.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE PROUD TO BE A PARTNER WITH YOU.
UH, WE DO A LOT OF WORK WITH, WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT GROUPS IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND MISSING CHILDREN AND SO MANY OTHERS.
BUT THIS ONE JUST HITS HOME A SAFER HOME.
WE HOPE THAT IT IS A SAFER HOME FOR THOSE RESIDENTS AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO SEE THESE SIGNS AND, AND CALLS AND GET HELP BECAUSE IT'S THERE FOR YOU.
IF YOU CAN, IF YOU CAN MAKE THAT CALL.
LEAN BEFORE WE, I THINK DO PICTURES WITH SOME OF THE SIGNS.
UM, I HAD SAID WE WOULD BRING BACK, UM, BOTH ABDA AND, UH, ANNA WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO, UH, TRANSLATE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE HEARD TODAY, NOT ALL OF IT IN SPANISH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT MESSAGE IS GETTING OUT.
LEE, I'M SO HAPPY TO HEAR WE'RE CONSIDERING ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES FOR OUTREACH.
AND THIS IS, I I I KNOW WE'RE CELEBRATING THE 10TH YEAR, UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS WE'VE BEEN HOSTING IT RIGHT HERE AT CITY HALL, BUT I DO WANNA SAY SEVERAL.
IT'S AT LEAST THROUGH MY TERM.
UM, BUT HOUSTON IS ALWAYS HAPPY TO HAVE YOU.
AND I WAS SO PRIVILEGED TO WORK ALONGSIDE SO MANY IN THE LAST TERM WHEN WE SAW THE EXTREME SPIKE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, THAT WE STILL ARE SEEING THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE FORGET THAT SURVIVORS WERE STUCK AT HOME WITH THEIR ABUSERS.
AND THAT WORK IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO REACH INTO THOSE HOMES.
SO EACH OF YOU IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
UM, PLEASE TALK TO A FRIEND THAT MAY BE IN NEED BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY RESOURCES OUT THERE, INCLUDING, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO IN THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING, WE ACTUALLY ADVOCATED AND SUCCESSFULLY ADDED IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
NOW THERE'S AN OFFICE AT CITY HALL THAT PARTNERS AND WORKS ON ALL THESE ISSUES AS WELL.
SO TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, THANK YOU, BUT ESPECIALLY TO
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OUR MESSENGERS AND THE MEDIA.UH, WITH THAT, WHO ARE WE HANDING IT OFF TO? WENDY.
WENDY GARCIA, SAFER HOME STARTS HERE IN ESP CHANNEL LOS.
UM, WITH THAT, I'LL SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT IF NOT, WE'RE JUST GOING TO TAKE SOME PICTURES.
YEAH, ANY QUESTIONS? ONCE, TWICE.
OH, AND THANK YOU TO CARLOS AND ALL THE STAFF WHO HELPED PUT THIS TOGETHER, INCLUDING THE DISTRICT'S, THE OFFICE.