The Truth: Women for Wilkowski Craft Plan to Address domestic Violence
The following article was shared via e-mail for the readers of Glass City Jungle, written for the Sojourner’s Truth by their Editor, Fletcher Word. There is an additional post below that contains the information that was given by the Wilkowski campaign.
Women for Wilkowski Craft Plan to Address domestic Violence
Two months ago, Keith Wilkowski, Democratic candidate for mayor, created a Women for Wilkowski organization and asked them to put together a plan to stem the tide of domestic violence against women. On Tuesday the Plan to Address Violence Against Women was announced at a press conference held by the candidate and his supporters on the committee.
“Violence of all kinds against women is a national problem,” said Wilkowski at the start of the news conference. “It happens everywhere – in our homes and on our streets, in our schools and at our workplaces, in our parks and at our theatres, even within our religious congregations.”
In order to combat such violence the committee has suggested that the mayor of Toledo take active measures to ensure women’s safety by providing leadership to: recognize women’s right to safety, insist upon strong social censure of the use of violence and value gender equity and respectful gender relations.
The report further asks that the mayor require city departments to assess policies that will promote gender equality and equity and that programs in and out of government that are dedicated to such tasks be supported.
The committee singled out local and statewide violence preventive programs that they would expect the mayor to support such as the Lucas County Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Plan, the Ohio Plan for sexual and intimate Partner Violence Prevention, the annual Toledo-area Take Back the Night event and the “Coaching Boys to Men” program. The committee also asked that a liaison from the mayor’s office be named to the Lucas County Domestic Violence Task Force to improve communication between city and county.
“But strong leadership is not enough,” said Gabrielle Davis, a University of Toledo law professor and head of the domestic violence fatality review team. “Government action – informed by current and accurate data – is also required.”
To this end the report places emphasis the establishment of systems of accountability and enhancing data collection and information sharing among city government, affected citizens and professionals in the field.
“This report represents a starting point for making Toledo safer for women and girls,” said Davis.
Most of the report’s proposals will cost no money, noted Wilkowski.
Asked whether a mayor should be focused so intently on the issue of domestic violence, Wilkowski was insistent that such tasks fell within the mayor’s purview.
“Every 28 minutes in Lucas County, a 911 call is received on a domestic violence report,” said Wilkowski. It is clearly the job of the mayor to address this issue and to provide safety. The mayor absolutely should be working on this. Providing a safe community is one of the most important things a mayor can be involved in.”
This is a good thing. Too bad that it has to be addressed. If we as parents teach our kids self value and self respect and self esteem this would be non existant. Dosmetic violence is not just a “Woman” issue. There are also batterd men. There are many ppl who are not raised but exist, because mom and dad had a baby and don’t raise them to be productive products of society. I am glad that someone is bringing this to the light. It will always be a very touchy subject filled with shame and humilation on both the abused and the abuser. We can see a man or women with “war wounds”(domestic wounds) and ask them what happened and we know in our gut when they say “I fell down the stairs” they are lying. Great for the “Women for Wilkowski Craft Plan to Address domestic Violence”.
August 9th, 2009 at 5:56 pm