Throughout October, local elected officials joined Verde Valley Sanctuary in officially proclaiming Domestic Violence Awareness Month, partnering with the nonprofit in the fight against domestic and sexual violence and creating a community that refuses to tolerate abuse.
“The time has come for us to stop considering domestic violence a family, or ‘private’ issue because it impacts entire communities,” VVS Executive Director Jessye Johnson said in a statement to Cottonwood City Council on Oct. 1.
Camp Verde and Clarkdale town councils and the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors also participated in the proclamations.
proclamations. “Domestic violence effects thousands of people here in the Verde Valley and across Arizona, causes significant harm to the physical and mental health survivors and their families, and undermines their economic stability and overall well-being,” Johnson stated.
In calendar year 2022, 101 victims lost their lives in Arizona because of domestic violence, according to a report by the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence. The report found that of the 101 documented fatalities, 56 of the victims were men and 45 were women. However, of the 80 alleged suspects, 69 were men and 11 were women. Of the 101 deaths, 76% were due to gun violence.
“While significant progress has been made in reducing domestic violence and improving services and support for survivors, much work remains to be done to expand prevention efforts and provide greater access to safety and healing,” Johnson stated.
In fiscal year 2023-24, VVS provided more than 7,500 services to over 1,400 survivors of domestic and sexual violence, which included over 7,000 bed nights in their emergency shelter and over 2,600 bed nights in transitional housing. The agency answered more than 1,000 crisis hotline calls over the same timeframe.
“During national Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, we honor the tremendous dedication of advocates and service providers, honor the courage and resilience of survivors and recommit ourselves to standing with them for safety, dignity and justice,” Johnson said. “There is still much work to do, and it will take all of us to do it.”
