[Public Safety & Domestic Violence Prevention Press Conference on June 23, 2023]
[00:00:02]
GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY, OR GOOD AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, BEING WITH US TODAY.
MY NAME IS JOHN FORTUNE AND I'M THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS HERE IN THE CITY.
WE ARE HERE TODAY TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNIFICANT LEGISLATION AUTHORED THIS SESSION BY REPRESENTATIVE NIVE CRETO, UM, ALONGSIDE WITH THE WORK OF THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CHIEF GARCIA IN THE WAY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, PREVENTION AND AWARENESS.
I'M HONORED TO BE JOINED TODAY WITH JUST A FEW OF THE MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN THESE EFFORTS.
AND WITH ME TODAY IS CHIEF EDDIE GARCIA, REPRESENTATIVE VICTORIA NIVE, CRETO, COUNCIL MEMBER GA ON L WILLIS, COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM BASIL DUA, COUNCIL MEMBER PAULA BLACKMON, MIMI STERLING, CEO OF THE FAMILY PLACE, ALIYA MIRANDA, WHO WILL SHARE HER TESTIMONY WITH US TODAY.
AND JAN LBE WITH, UH, CEO OF GENESIS SHELTER.
THEY'RE HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE STATE OF PUBLIC SAFETY IN OUR CITY, SHARE THEIR PERSONAL TESTIMONY AND, AND, AND DISCUSS HOW, UM, THIS ISSUE HAS AFFECTED THEIR LIVES.
I WOULD VENTURE TO GUESS THAT EVERY ONE OF US IN THIS ROOM HAS HAD BEEN PERSONALLY AFFECTED OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY, UM, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
COMMUNITY SAFETY CONTINUES TO BE A TOP PRIORITY FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND THIS ISSUE WAS ONE OF OUR TOP LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES IN THIS PAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
I WANT TO THANK CHIEF, UM, GARCIA, REPRESENTATIVE NI NIVE, CRETO COUNCIL MEMBERS WILLIS BASIL AND BLACKMAN FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP.
ALONG WITH THAT OF, UH, CHAIRMAN ATKINS, UH, WHO LEADS THE CITY COUNCIL'S LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE AND OF COURSE THE MAYOR AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT ON THIS IMPORTANT LEGISLATION AND ENDEAVOR.
SINCE THE LAUNCH OF CHIEF GARCIA'S VIOLENT CRIME REDUCTION PLAN IN 2021, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE CONTINUED TO SEE AN OVERALL DECREASE IN VIOLENT CRIME, AND THAT PARTICULAR PLAN HAD A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, INCLUDING THE STRENGTHENING OF OUR FAMILY VIOLENCE UNIT, AS WELL AS INCREASING, UM, VICTIM IN-HOME VISITS AS A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER OVERSEEING PUBLIC SAFETY AND ON BEHALF OF CITY MANAGER TC BROADS, WE ARE SO PROUD OF CHIEF GARCIA AND HIS DEPARTMENT AND FINE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR TIRELESS EFFORT DAY IN AND DAY OUT, TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE OUR RESIDENTS SAFE.
WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT OF OUR RESIDENTS AND LEADERS LIKE REPRESENTATIVE NIVA CRETO, THOSE WITH US HERE TODAY, AS WELL AS OTHERS LIKE SENATOR WHITMORE.
WITH THAT, AND I'LL NOW TURN IT OVER TO CHIEF GARCIA FOR HIS REMARKS AND INTRODUCTION FOR OUR NEXT GUEST.
DEPUTY C, CITY MANAGER FORTUNE.
UH, TODAY WE'RE GATHERED HERE TO ANNOUNCE THE PASSAGE OF IMPORTANT LEGISLATION DESIGNED TO REDUCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
INTERMITTENT PARTNER VIOLENCE HOUSE BILL 52 0 2 HAS BEEN SIGNED BY GOVERNOR ABBOTT AND WILL CREATE A PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE DATABASE CONTAINING INFORMATION REGARDING INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE MULTIPLE FELONY FAMILY VIOLENCE CONVICTIONS.
PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO SEARCH FOR THE PERSON THEY'RE BEGINNING A RELATIONSHIP WITH AND FIND OUT IF THEY HAVE A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE TO THANK AND THAT HAVE WORKED TIRE TIRELESSLY ON THIS BILL.
I WANT TO THANK JAN LINE BEAM OF THE CEO OF GENESIS WOMEN'S SHELTER FOR HER SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT YOU SEE BEHIND ME.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE VICTORIA NDO FOR AUTHORING THE BILL AND SENATOR JOHN WHITMEYER FOR SPONSORING THE BILL IN THE TEXAS SENATE AND OF COURSE, GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT FOR SIGNING THIS IMPORTANT BILL INTO LAW.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE PUBLIC BE AWARE OF INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE REPEATEDLY BEEN CONVICTED OF FAMILY VIOLENCE.
WE CAN BREAK THE CYCLE OF ABUSE BY PROVIDING OUR VICTIMS THE KNOWLEDGE THEY NEED TO STAY SAFE EVERY YEAR.
THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATES THOUSANDS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE OFFENSES WITH MOST OF THOSE OFFENSES INVOLVING INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCLUDES PHYSICAL VIOLENCE, SEXUAL VIOLENCE, PSYCHOLOGICAL VIOLENCE, AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE.
I'M HERE TODAY TO REAFFIRM OUR PROMISE TO PROVIDE HELP AND SAFETY TO VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AFFECTS INDIVIDUALS IN EVERY COMMUNITY REGARDLESS OF AGE, ECONOMIC STATUS, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER, RACE, RELIGION OR NATIONALITY.
NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO ENDURE ABUSE FROM AN EMMETT PARTNER.
NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE IN SILENCE WITH AN ABUSER WHO EXERTS POWER AND CONTROL OVER THEM.
NO ONE SHOULD BE FORCED INTO ISOLATION WHERE THEY FEEL THAT NO ONE CARES OR IS WILLING TO HELP.
WE ARE HERE TODAY TO REASSURE EVERYONE WE WANT TO HELP.
WE WILL HELP AND WE WILL LISTEN.
THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW THAT ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
WE'RE ALL HERE BECAUSE WE WANT BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.
NOW, BEFORE I END, I WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK THE GENESIS TO ALL OF THIS, AND THE GENESIS BEGAN APPROXIMATELY FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN
[00:05:01]
I WAS A POLICE CHIEF IN CALIFORNIA.WHEN I MET RICK AND DIANE BEATTY, RICK AND DIANE BITTY RUN A FOUNDATION CALLED THE ALESSANDRA FOUNDATION.
ALESSANDRA WAS THEIR DAUGHTER.
SHE WAS KILLED BY HER EX-BOYFRIEND WHO HAD A PRIOR CONVICTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND AT THAT TIME, UH, WE TRIED TO PUSH IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO MAKE THIS LEGISLATION HAPPEN AND WHAT IT COULDN'T HAPPEN.
AND WHEN I WAS COMING TO TEXAS, I PROMISED THEM THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE TO TRY AND BECAUSE OF THE LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAVE IN THIS STATE AND IN THIS CITY WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL, OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR MAYOR, BECAUSE OF THE COURAGE OF REPRESENTATIVE NIVE AND THE COURAGE OF SENATOR JOHN WHITMEYER, WE WERE ABLE TO DO IN THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT DONE IN ANOTHER STATE BECAUSE OUR REPRESENTATIVES LISTEN, BECAUSE OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES LISTEN, BECAUSE OUR CITY GOVERNMENT LISTENS TO THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT, TO THEIR VICTIMS, TO VICTIMS' FAMILIES, THIS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE IF NOT FOR THE SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY AND OF THE STATE.
I SERVE AS STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR HOUSE DISTRICT 1 0 7.
I'M HONORED TO REPRESENT PARTS OF DALLAS GARLAND AND MESQUITE TEXAS AND TO STAND HERE ALONGSIDE THESE CHAMPIONS FOR JUSTICE, OUR CHIEF OF POLICE, EDDIE GARCIA, WHO I WILL SAY, UH, I'M IN MY FOURTH TERM IN THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE.
I'VE SPOKEN TO LONG SERVING MEMBERS IN THE TEXAS HOUSE AND OUR BIPARTISAN DALLAS AREA LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.
AND NEVER BEFORE HAVE WE HAD THIS LEVEL OF COMMITMENT AND COORDINATION WITH OUR POLICE CHIEF AS WELL AS THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO I WANNA THANK CHIEF EDDIE GARCIA FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, LIEUTENANT JULIO GONZALEZ FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM CHIEF FOR THE, THE COORDINATION WITH OUR DELEGATION.
LET ME SAY THAT I, I'M INCREDIBLY HONORED TO HAVE FILED THIS IDEA THAT CAME TO US FROM THE CHIEF FROM THE ALESSANDRA FOUNDATION AND TO SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON AN ISSUE THAT IMPACTS WOMEN ALL ACROSS THIS STATE.
AND AS WE HEARD SOME, SOME DATA, I WANNA SHARE SOME STATEWIDE DATA THAT ALSO SUPPORTED THE REASONS WHY THIS LEGISLATION IS SO, SO CRITICAL.
IN 2021, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY DATA SHOWED THAT THERE WERE 231,207 INCIDENTS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE REPORTED 231,000.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS MORE FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO DID NOT COME FORWARD FOR VARIOUS REASONS.
IN THE LAST 10 YEARS HERE IN TEXAS, WE HAVE LOST NEARLY 1400 WOMEN TO INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE.
1400 WOMEN KILLED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS MORE HAVE SURVIVED.
AND THERE'S DATA FROM THE TEXAS COUNCIL ON FAMILY VIOLENCE THAT SHOWED THAT 70% OF TEXAS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFENDERS ABUSE THEIR VICTIMS AGAIN, EVEN AFTER THERE'S BEEN A WARNING FROM AUTHORITIES OR AFTER A PROTECTIVE ORDER.
THIS LEGISLATION CREATES A CENTRAL DATABASE OF CONVICTED ABUSERS WHO HAVE CERTAIN CONVICTIONS, INCLUDING ASSAULT, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING.
THIS TOOL IS GOING TO HELP US SAVE LIVES.
IT IS SIGNIFICANT LEGISLATION THAT MAKES, PUTS TEXAS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS ISSUE.
AND AS WE HEARD, THE ALESSANDRA FOUNDATION AND THE PARENTS OF ALESSANDRA WHO WAS MURDERED HAVE TRIED AND ARE WORKING HARD IN OTHER STATES.
BUT WE KNOW THAT TEXAS PUTS PUBLIC SAFETY AT THE FOREFRONT AND WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE TAKING THE LEAD.
AND SO THIS LEGISLATION HELPS DO THAT.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR SISTERS, OUR FRIENDS, OUR FAMILY MEMBERS, WE WANT THE BEST FOR THEM.
IT IS BECAUSE OF THE STRENGTH OF THOUSANDS OF WOMEN WHO THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AND ESPECIALLY THROUGHOUT THE LAST FEW YEARS, HAVE HAD THE COURAGE TO COME FORWARD TO SHARE THEIR STORIES.
THIS COURAGE THAT HAS SHOT SHINES A SPOTLIGHT ON THE ISSUE AND HELPED CREATE EVERLASTING CHANGE IN OUR STATE.
WE AS WOMEN LEGISLATORS, WE KNOW WE AS WOMEN ELECTED OFFICIALS AND AS COMMUNITY LEADERS AND OUR MEN ALL ALLIES AS WELL ON THIS ISSUE THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTS WOMEN IN TEXAS.
WE ARE LEADING THE CHARGE WHERE OUR OFFICE IN PARTICULAR FOCUSES A LOT ON ISSUES THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT WOMEN.
[00:10:01]
SO LIKE SEXUAL ASSAULT AND THESE, AND, AND I WANNA SHARE THAT BEFORE THIS LAW GOES INTO EFFECT, CURRENTLY, THERE IS SOME INFORMATION THAT IS AVAILABLE, BUT THIS INFORMATION SITS BEHIND A PAYWALL HIDDEN THIS LAW DISSOLVES THAT ECONOMIC BARRIER IN THE HOPES OF PREVENTING FUTURE FAMILY VIOLENCE AND ENSURE THAT YOUNG GIRLS ARE NOT GETTING LOST IN TOXIC, DANGEROUS, ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS WITHOUT KNOWING THE HISTORY OF THEIR ABUSER.I'M GONNA RESERVE MY TIME, BUT I DO WANT TO TOUCH A FEW, UM, WELL, ONE, THANK COUNCILMAN BAAL LUA.
WE WANNA THANK CHIEF EDDIE GARCIA, HIS TEAM, UH, THE GENESIS WOMEN'S SHELTER FOR COMING, THE ALESSANDRA FOUNDATION FOR COMING TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT AND REALLY MAKING THIS MONUMENTAL VICTORY FOR WOMEN IN TEXAS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
HELLO, MY NAME IS GAY DONNELL WILLIS.
I'M THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT 13.
I ALSO SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND I AM VICE CHAIR OF THE MAYOR'S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING ADVISORY COUNCIL.
I WANT TO THANK REPRESENTATIVE NIVE CRETO FOR HER WORK THIS PAST SESSION ON HOUSE BILL 52 0 2 BECAUSE NONPROFIT PARTNERS ACROSS DALLAS HAVE INDICATED TO OUR ADVISORY COUNCIL THAT THEY NEED MORE AND ROBUST DATA.
HP 52 0 2 CREATES A CENTRALIZED WEBSITE AT NO COST TO THE PUBLIC, CONTAINING INFORMATION ON INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE REPEATEDLY COMMITTED FELONY INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE.
THE RISE IN ONLINE DATING HAS SHOWED THAT PEOPLE WILL SEARCH A WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION ON THOSE THEY MAY WANT TO BE IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH.
AND SO WHILE THIS INFORMATION IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE THROUGH VARIOUS BACKGROUND RESOURCES, UM, IT CAN BE EXPENSIVE AS, UH, THE REPRESENTATIVE MENTIONED, UH, THERE CAN BE FIREWALLS, AND SO THAT CREATES A BARRIER TO SOME IN GETTING THIS CRITICAL INFORMATION.
HOUSE BILL 52 0 2 PROVIDES INFORMATION REGARDING REPEAT VIOLENT OFFENDERS SO THAT INDIVIDUALS CAN MAKE BETTER INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR RELATIONSHIPS.
PARTNERS ACROSS NORTH TEXAS, INCLUDING THE DALLAS COUNTY DA'S OFFICE, DALLAS POLICE, AND SEVERAL NONPROFIT PARTNERS SUCH AS GENESIS WOMEN'S SHELTER IN THE FAMILY PLACE, HAVE PARTNERED TO TRACK DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN INCIDENTS IN DALLAS ON A PUBLIC DASHBOARD IN DALLAS.
AND THIS NUMBER BLOWS MY MIND.
THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 2 2500 INTIMATE PARTNER CRIMES SINCE JANUARY FOUR PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN INTIMATE PARTNER CRIMES THIS YEAR.
HOWEVER, WE KNOW THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS UNDER-REPORTED BETWEEN 30 AND 70% OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENTS ARE SAID TO GO UNREPORTED.
[00:15:01]
TEXANS EVERYWHERE ARE SUFFERING INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE WITHOUT KNOWING WHERE TO TURN TO OR HOW TO ESCAPE, AND THIS WEBSITE'S GOING TO HELP THEM MAKE BETTER DECISIONS.HB 52 0 2 INCLUDES FAMILY VIOLENCE ADVOCATES IN THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DATABASE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT A CHECK ON ONE WEBSITE SHOULD NOT BE THE SOLE BASIS FOR MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE IS SAFE.
REDUCING INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE WILL REQUIRE COMPREHENSIVE HOLISTIC APPROACH.
AND HB 52 0 2 IS A TREMEND LEAP FORWARD TOWARD THE GOAL OF REDUCING INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OCCURS AT AN ALARMING RATE, ONE IN THREE WOMEN, ONE IN FIVE MEN WILL BE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR ABUSE IN THEIR LIFETIMES.
45 MILLION CHILDREN NATIONALLY WILL BE EXPOSED TO VIOLENCE DURING THEIR CHILDHOOD.
ONE IN THREE TEXANS WILL EXPERIENCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THEIR LIFETIMES ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND 33% OF SEXUAL ASSAULTS ARE COMMITTED BY A CURRENT OR FORMER INTIMATE PARTNER.
SO WE KNOW THAT SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND DATING VIOLENCE ARE INTERTWINED.
THE NATIONAL COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ALSO STATES THAT PERPETRATORS WHO ARE PHYSICALLY VIOLENT TOWARD THEIR INTIMATE PARTNERS ARE OFTEN SEXUALLY ABUSIVE AS WELL AS MANY AS 40 TO 45% OF WOMEN WHO ARE IN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS WILL BE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED IN THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
AS A REMINDER, THE BEST WAY TO COMBAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN RELATIONSHIPS IS THROUGH EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT.
BEFORE THE PROBLEM EVEN STARTS.
IN DECEMBER, DALLAS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING ADVISORY COUNCIL ASKED ITS MEMBERS WHAT CRITICAL PROGRAMS THEY WERE IMPLEMENTING OR PLANNING TO I IMPLEMENT.
ALL RESPONDENTS MENTIONED TWO THINGS, CREATING MORE ROBUST EDUCATION WITHIN SCHOOLS, AND IMPROVED DATA ON OFFENDERS.
GOVERNOR ABBOTT SIGNED THIS BILL INTO LAW THIS MONTH.
THE BILL CREATES MORE ACCOUNTABILITY AND BETTER DATA FOR POLICE, EDUCATORS AND PARTNERS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST DATING AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
WITH THIS, I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO COUNCILMAN BASIL DUA.
THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILWOMAN WILLIS.
MY NAME IS ADAM BASIL DUA, AND I'M THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT SEVEN.
I ALSO HAVE THE DISTINCT HONOR OF SERVING AS THE CHAIRMAN OF QUALITY OF LIFE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE.
AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID, I WANT TO THANK REPRESENTATIVE NIVE FOR HER WORK ON HOUSE BILL 52 0 2 AND CHIEF EDDIE GARCIA FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO THE SAFETY OF OUR CITY AND PROTECTING VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
I WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TODAY TO SHARE MY STORY AND TO SHED A LIGHT ON MALE VICTIMS. WHILE WOMEN ARE MORE OFTEN THE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE, DOMESTIC ABUSE HAS NO BOUNDARIES AND, AND CAN IMPACT AND AFFECT THE LIVES OF BOTH MEN AND WOMEN.
I GREW UP IN A HOUSEHOLD WHERE I PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED AND INDIRECTLY EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TYPES OF ABUSE.
I GREW UP IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT WAS VERY OLD SCHOOL WHERE I WAS TAUGHT TO BE TOUGH, AND WHERE I WAS TOLD TO FEEL SHAME IN SPEAKING UP AGAINST MY ABUSE.
IT WASN'T UNTIL I MOVED TO NEW YORK CITY AND LEARNED OF RESOURCES THAT WERE AVAILABLE TO ME AS A SURVIVOR, THAT I CAME FORWARD WITH MY EXPERIENCES DURING MY LIFE SAVING TREATMENT IN NEW YORK CITY.
I LEARNED ABOUT THE OVERWHELMING DATA REGARDING THE STIGMA SURROUNDING MALE SURVIVORS.
FROM COMING FORWARD, BECAUSE OF THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES, I REALIZED THAT I WAS IN NO WAY ALONE AND CAN OVERCOME THE STATISTICS AND OWN MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES.
I AM PLEASED TO SHARE THAT SHORTLY AFTER MY TIME IN TREATMENT, I PURSUED LEGAL ACTION AGAINST MY ABUSER AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN BRINGING THEM TO JUSTICE.
I NOW WANT TO BE A VOICE FOR OTHER MALE SURVIVORS.
I WANT TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS THAT DOMESTIC ABUSE IS SOMETHING THAT OCCURS IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND SHOULD BE TALKED ABOUT MORE.
I AM BEYOND GRATEFUL TO NOW HAVE THE DISTINCT OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ALONGSIDE SUCH CHAMPIONS LIKE CHIEF GARCIA AND REPRESENTATIVE NAVE WHO WORKED HARD TO BRING MEANINGFUL LEGISLATION TO HELP IMPROVE THE LIVES OF FUTURE SURVIVORS IN OUR STATE.
AGAIN, REPRESENTATIVE NAVE, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO GET.
HB 52 0 2 PASSED THE LEGISLATION SESSION, THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THAT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS FOR OUR STATE AND OUR CITY.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR NEWLY ELECTED CITY COUNCIL, AND UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DEPUTY CITY MANAGER JOHN FORTUNE POLICE, CHIEF EDDIE GARCIA AND STATE RE REPRESENTATIVE NAVE, I AM CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL SEE AN OVERALL DECREASE IN DOMESTIC ABUSE CASES.
AND WITH THAT, IT'S MY HONOR TO TURN IT OVER TO, UH, C E O OF THE FAMILY PLACE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING THE FAMILY PLACE WITH YOU ALL TODAY.
UM, I, I'M MIMI STERLING, THE CEO OF THE FAMILY
[00:20:01]
PLACE, AND IT'S THE LARGEST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICE PROVIDER IN TEXAS.AND WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY WORKING TO PROVIDE SERVICES FROM EDUCATION TO SHELTER, COUNSELING AND OFFENDER REHABILITATION, UM, TO PROVIDE BRIGHTER FUTURES ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M SO HONORED TO BE A PART OF THIS WORK AND HERE WITH ALL OF YOU TODAY.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYBODY BEHIND ME AND ALL OF THE FACES AND NAMES THAT YOU DON'T SEE HERE TODAY WHO HAVE BEEN PART OF MAKING THIS INCREDIBLE MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AS WE HAVE HEARD TODAY, TEXAS HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE COUNTRY.
ONE IN THREE PEOPLE FACED NEW MEXICO VIOLENCE IN OUR STATE.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO FIX IT? WE CAN CONTINUE TO INVEST IN EDUCATION, IN SHELTER, IN COUNSELING AND GENERAL AWARENESS, HELPING STORIES LIKE THE STORIES WE'RE GONNA HEAR TODAY BECOME MORE, MORE, UM, ACCEPTABLE IN COMMON COMMUNICATION AT THIS VERY MINUTE.
THE FAMILY PLACE CURRENTLY HAS 66 WOMEN, 79, 79 CHILDREN, THREE MEN, TWO DOGS, AND A CAT IN OUR CARE.
SO WE SERVE MEN IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR SERVICES AS WELL.
IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, WE DO EXPERIENCE AN INCREASE IN CALLS TO OUR HOTLINE.
IN FACT, LAST WEEK WE RECEIVED 200 MORE CALLS, 200 MORE CALLS THAN WE DID IN THE SAME WEEK LAST YEAR.
IT'S AN 18% INCREASE THAN LAST YEAR.
THE TRAUMA THAT RESULTS FROM FAMILY VIOLENCE REQUIRES A HOLISTIC APPROACH THAT ADDRESSES PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SOCIAL HEALTH.
AND WE ARE HERE TO HELP THE COMMUNITY WITH THAT CHARGE.
THE FAMILY PLACE IS EXTREMELY PROUD TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES AND WE ARE VERY HONORED WITH THE PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT STAND BEHIND ME ON THE STAGE.
FOR THOSE SEEKING SERVICES, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO OUR HOTLINE OR ONE OF THOSE OF OUR PARTNER AGENCIES LIKE GENESIS.
THIS BILL HAS JUST PASSED, AND WE ARE EXTREMELY OPTIMISTIC OF THE VALUE THAT IT WILL CREATE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
IT WILL HELP OUR COMMUNITY IDENTIFY THE MOST DANGEROUS OFFENDERS ON A CURRENT PLATFORM THAT WAS SIMPLY NOT ACCESSIBLE TO OTHERS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH ALL THE OTHER AGENCIES TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROCESS.
IT IS NOW MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE AALIYAH MIRANDA, WHO IS A CLOSE PARTNER OF THE FAMILY PLACE AND NOW AN EMPLOYEE.
UH, MY NAME IS ALIYAH MIRANDA.
I'M THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF RESIDENTIAL SERVICES AND I AM A SURVIVOR OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN MEXICO AND IMMIGRATED TO DALLAS.
WHEN I WAS 16 YEARS OLD, I BEGAN TAKING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSES TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE AND BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE TO OTHERS.
I MARRIED AFTER HIGH SCHOOL AND STAYED IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP FOR EIGHT YEARS BEFORE FINDING THE COURAGE TO REACH OUT FOR HELP.
HE WAS BORN WITH GASTROSCHISIS, AND THIS ADDED TO LEAVING A LIFE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FROM MY ABUSER.
I GOT TO A POINT AFTER ONGOING ABUSE TO USE A PHONE NUMBER THAT MY MOM HAD GIVEN ME.
IT WAS THE HOTLINE NUMBER TO THE FAMILY PLACE, AND THIS IS WHEN MY LIFE BEGAN TO CHANGE.
I ENTERED THE FAMILY PLACE SHELTER IN 2000.
MY TWO CHILDREN'S AGES, SIX YEARS AND 12 MONTHS AT THAT TIME WERE ABLE TO STAY WITH ME.
I WAS THERE AT THE E EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR 30 DAYS, THEN I APPLIED FOR THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM AND THIS STAY FOR THREE MORE MONTHS.
THIS STAY GAVE ME THE TIME I NEEDED TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE A LIVING FOR MY BOYS.
A YEAR LATER, MY EX-HUSBAND SUE ME FOR CUSTODY OF ONE OF THE BOYS AND THE JUDGE GRANTED THIS JUDGMENT CAUSED A SEPARATION OF THE BROTHERS AND FORCED ME TO GIVE MY SON BACK TO THE PERPETRATOR.
AT THIS POINT, I'M FEELING DEFEATED, UNEDUCATED, HOMELESS, HOPELESS, DESPERATE, DEPRESSED, AND UNQUALIFIED TO SECURE A JOB.
THE FAMILY PLACE OUTREACH CENTER IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR PROVIDED ME WITH THE COUNSELING AND THE SUPPORT FROM 2000 TO 2005.
THIS HELPED ME ACQUIRE THE NECESSARY TOOLS TO GET BACK ON MY FEET.
SO I DECIDED TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND FIGHT FOR MY CHILDREN.
WITH THE SUPPORT FROM THE FAMILY PLACE, THERE WAS NO STOPPING FOR ME.
I TOOK FULL ADVANTAGE OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY.
AND AFTER TAKING MANY ESL CLASSES, I WAS ABLE TO ENROLL IN COLLEGE LEVEL CLASSES, WORKING AND STUDYING AT THE SAME TIME.
BROUGHT A LOT OF SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, HOWEVER, I WAS DETERMINED TO ACCOMPLISH MY GOAL.
EVENTUALLY, I RECEIVED AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE FOR MOUNTAIN VIEW COLLEGE, A BACHELOR'S AND A MASTER'S DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IN ARLINGTON.
AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I GOT GRADUATED WITH A DOCTOR OF EDUCATION AND EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION DEGREE FROM TEXAS A AND M COMMERCE.
AFTER MUCH PRAYING, AFTER MUCH PRAYING, NINE YEARS LATER, I WAS ABLE
[00:25:01]
TO REUNITE WITH MY SON, MY VOICE.IN ADDITION, I HAD THE AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY PLACE WORLD DIRECTORS FOR SEVEN YEARS, WHICH GAVE ME THE CHANCE TO GIVE A VOICE TO THE VOICELESS PREVENTION.
EDUCATION AND RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE AND YOU CAN TRUST THE HELP THAT IS AVAILABLE TO YOU.
THE SAFETY OF THE VICTIM AND THE VICTIM'S FAMILY IS THE PRIMARY CONCERN ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE.
IT, IF I CAN SHOUT IT OUT TO THE WORLD, LET ME SAY HELP IS AVAILABLE TO YOU.
THANKS TO THE SUPPORT I RECEIVED FROM THE FAMILY PLACE, I WAS ABLE TO FIND THE COURAGE TO BE WHERE I AM TODAY.
I USED TO BE SHY, HAD LOW SELF-ESTEEM, AND DIDN'T BELIEVE IN MYSELF.
THE FAMILY PLACE SHOWED ME THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT YOU WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING YOU.
AND I WILL BE FOR FOREVER GRATEFUL.
I WAS ABLE TO GET BACK ON MY FEET AND I PROMISED MYSELF NEVER TO BE HOMELESS AGAIN.
BECAUSE OF A MAN, I'M SO GRATEFUL I DIDN'T HAVE TO SLEEP ON THE STREETS.
TO WOMEN WHO ARE CURRENTLY RECOVERING FROM AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD, TO NOT STOP WE OWE TO A CHILDREN, BUT ESPECIALLY TO OURSELVES.
I CURRENTLY FEEL BLESSED, LOVE AND EMPOWERED, AND THIS IS MY HOPE FOR OTHER WOMEN.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE.
IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE REGARDLESS OF YOUR ETHNICITY, BACKGROUND, OR GENDER.
I CAME FROM A VERY HEALTHY FAMILY BACKGROUND AND WAS NEVER EXPOSED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BUT IT HAPPENED TO ME.
I'M THE CEO OF GENESIS WOMEN'S SHELTER AND SUPPORT HERE IN DALLAS.
I'M HONORED TO BE ON THIS STAGE WITH THESE INCREDIBLE FOLKS BEHIND ME.
I WANNA SAY A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO REPRESENTATIVE NEEVA, AS WELL AS CHIEF GARCIA, UH, FOR LETTING ME BE A PART OF HOUSE BILL 52 0 2.
IT WAS MY HONOR TO GO TO AUSTIN AND TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT ON THAT, UH, THIS BILL COULD HAVE WITH REGARDS TO PREVENTING AND ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.
YOU KNOW, THE DALLAS POLICE HAS RECOGNIZED THE IMPACT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON OUR CITY AND ON OUR CITY CITIZENS.
THEY HAVE A SPECIALIZED INVESTIGATIVE UNIT LED BY LIEUTENANT IGO OVER HERE.
UH, THEY HAVE A LETHALITY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM THAT CAN HELP RECOGNIZE WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHO ARE IN THE MOST DANGER OF LOSING THEIR LIVES.
THEY RECOGNIZE HIGH RISK OFFENDERS, AND OF COURSE, THEN HELPING WITH SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION LIKE 52 0 2.
UM, THEY REALLY ARE LEADING IN BEST PRACTICES.
BUT IN MY OPINION, ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING THINGS THAT, UH, PARTNERSHIPS THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE WITH THE DALLAS POLICE IS THAT 17 YEARS AGO, UH, THE, UH, DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND GENESIS WOMEN'S SHELTER AND SUPPORT CO-FOUNDED THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN.
UM, WE KNOW THAT IN ORDER TO MOVE THE NEEDLE TO HELP EDUCATE ACROSS NOT ONLY TEXAS BUT UH, THE UNITED STATES, IT IS GOING TO TAKE US TALKING ABOUT IT AND TALKING ABOUT IT LIKE WE ARE HERE TODAY.
UM, WE LAST MAY, CHIEF GARCIA HELP ME WELCOME 2,500 ATTENDEES TO DALLAS FROM ALL 50 STATES, NINE FOREIGN COUNTRIES WHERE THEY LEARNED HOW TO PROSECUTE AND, UM, INVESTIGATE AND ADVOCATE WITH BEST PRACTICES.
BUT NOT ONLY DOES DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT DEMONSTRATE THIS COORDINATED COMMUNITY RESPONSE, WHICH BY THE WAY CDC SAYS IS THE BEST RESPONSE.
UM, IT BECOMES A MODEL OF BEST PRACTICES FOR JURISDICTIONS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP, WE ARE RAISING AWARENESS AND WE'RE MOVING THE NEEDLE TOWARD HELPING TO END THESE KINDS OF CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN.
WE ARE ALSO PROUD AT, UH, GENESIS THAT WE HAVE LOST LAUNCHED THE NEXT GENERATION OF THE NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER, I'M SORRY, THE NEXT GENERATION OF THE CONFERENCE ON CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN AS WE LAUNCH A NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER ON CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN.
SO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE ARE BUILDING UPON WHAT HAPPENS AT THE CONFERENCE ALONG WITH THE DALLAS POLICE, BUT WE WILL BE DOING TRAININGS ALL YEAR LONG FOR SAYINGS OR FOR PROSECUTORS OR LAW ENFORCEMENT, FOR HAIRDRESSERS, FOR CLERGY, FOR HIGH SCHOOL COACHES.
UM, WE, AND ALSO AT GENESIS, A NEW PROGRAM THAT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE IS THAT WE HAVE RECOGNIZED THE INTERSECTIONALITY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND TEEN PREGNANCIES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND FIREARMS. UH, BUT WE'VE ALSO RECOGNIZED THE INTERSECTIONALITY BETWEEN NEURODIVERSITY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
SO MANY CHILDREN COME TO BOTH FAMILY PLACE AND GENESIS WHO ARE ABUSED, BUT ALSO ARE AUTISTIC MOMS ARE DEPRESSED, BUT THEY'RE ALSO DYSREGULATED.
AND WE HAVE RESPONDED WITH THAT, THAT TO THAT GAP, UH, BY LAUNCHING AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPEUTIC PRO PROGRAM.
AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT HAVING AN OT ON SITE IS THE NEXT GENERATION OF TRAUMA TREATMENT.
SO ALL OF THIS TO BE SAID, WE'RE NEVER THROUGH.
IF WE ARE GONNA END THIS EPIDEMIC, UH, WE ARE
[00:30:01]
GOING TO, UM, HAVE, HAVE OF COURSE, SHELTERS AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE ARRESTS AND INVESTIGATION AND COUNSELING AND ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION, UM, AND LEGISLATION.
UH, BUT WHAT IT REALLY IS GOING TO TAKE IS A SOCIETAL PARADIGM SHIFT AND, UH, WITH A COMMUNITY THAT SAYS, ABSOLUTELY, I HAVE ZERO TOLERANCE FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.
UM, I HOPE THAT ANYONE HERE TODAY OR LISTENING, UH, THROUGH THE MEDIA WILL KNOW THAT THERE IS HELP AND THERE'S HOPE THAT IN ADDITION TO 94 1 1 9 9 1, I SHOULD KNOW THAT, UH, ALSO 2 1 4 9 4 6 HELP.
UH, AND THAT'S THE GENESIS HELPLINE THAT'S ANSWERED 24 HOURS A DAY AND ALSO HAS TEXT CAPABILITIES.
BUT I'M PROUD TO WORK WITH CHIEF, UH, GARCIA AND LIEUTENANT IGO AND, UM, MAJOR HAWKS AND CITY COUNCIL, AND OF COURSE REPRESENTATIVES IN OUR STATE, UH, CAPITAL AS WE PARTNER TO MAKE DALLAS A SAFER PLACE IN WHICH TO LIVE.
SO IN CLOSING, LET ME THANK ALL OF OUR DISTINGUISHED GUESTS AND THOSE WHO ARE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS ISSUE FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND AT THIS TIME, WE'LL TAKE, UM, WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS.
YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT, WHAT THE REACTION OF FAMILY IN CALIFORNIA.
THEY MUST NOT, THEY'RE NO, IF I COULD DESCRIBE THEM, THEY'RE JUST, THEY'RE JUST AMAZING PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A LITTLE FRUSTRATION THAT IT DIDN'T OCCUR IN CALIFORNIA.
UH, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE, THEY DON'T HAVE THAT IN THEIR HEART.
UM, THEY JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE HAD SOME COMMUNICATION, UH, WITH RICK WITH REGARDS TO TEXAS PASSING THIS.
HIS RESPONSE BACK TO ME WAS, WELL, 49 MORE STATES TO GO.
UM, THAT'S WHERE THEIR HEARTS ARE AT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER ALESSANDRA.
UM, AND, UH, HONESTLY, THEY'RE JUST, IT'S WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS, IT'S THAT, UH, AND WHY I'M SO PROUD TO BE HERE WITH THE SUPPORT THAT WE GET AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT, THAT WE WANNA LISTEN TO OUR VICTIMS. AND THEN OUR, OUR LEADERSHIP LISTENS TO US WHO LISTENS TO OUR VICTIMS AS WELL.
UM, AND THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERYWHERE.
UH, AND IT CERTAINLY DIDN'T HAPPEN THERE.
UM, SO, BUT, UH, THEY DON'T FEEL ILL WILL, UH, THEY JUST ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND, AND THEY'RE JUST GONNA KEEP GRINDING AWAY UNTIL WE CAN GET MORE OF THIS, UH, MORE OF THIS ACCOMPLISHED.
BUT, UH, THEY'RE VERY, VERY HAPPY, UH, TO SAY THE LEAST ABOUT, UH, TEXAS, UH, GETTING THIS, UH, ACROSS THE GOAL LINE.
UH, AND THEY'LL JUST CONTINUE TO WORK.
AND I HOPE THERE'S, THERE'S LEADERSHIP IN THE STATES THAT THEY'RE WORKING IN, UH, THAT ARE, I'M NOT QUITE CERTAIN THEY'LL BE STRONGER THAN OURS.
UH, BUT IF IT COULD BE CLOSE TO AS STRONG AS OUR LEADERSHIP IS IN THIS STATE, UM, I THINK THEY'LL, THEY'LL BE SUCCESSFUL.
UH, UH, UH, A DATABASE, THE WEBSITE.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, WHO WILL BE MANAGING IT.
THEY HAVE A CURRENT DATABASE THAT WILL ALLOW FOR THE CREATION OF THIS, THIS LAW GOES INTO
[00:35:01]
EFFECT ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2023, AND THEN THEY WILL BE ABLE TO START IMPLEMENTING IT.SO FROM OUR UNDERSTANDING FROM D P S, THIS SHOULD HOPEFULLY BE IN PLACE BY JANUARY OF 2024.
WE KNOW THAT THERE, THERE WAS BROAD BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR THIS LEGISLATION.
THE VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY, UM, REALLY I THINK MADE AN IMPACT.
AND SO WE WE'RE, WE'RE CONFIDENT AND WE WILL HELP THE STATE AND ENSURE THAT THE WORD SPREADS ACROSS, UH, THE STATE TO ENSURE THAT FOLKS KNOW ABOUT IT.
AND I THINK THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS WELL WILL HELP SPREAD THE WORD SPECIFIC WEBSITE, DOMESTIC, WHAT FOLKS CAN ACCESS THAT THROUGH BACKGROUND CHECK SITES WHERE THEY HAVE TO PAY.
THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY HAS DATA, BUT THIS SPECIFIC DATA IS GOING TO BE FREE, PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE FOR THE CERTAIN SPECIFIC CRIMES THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.
WHEN THERE HAVE BEEN TWO OR MORE CONVICTIONS.
IT'S, SO FOR THOSE SERIOUS, UM, YOU KNOW, REPEAT OFFENDERS FOR THESE SPECIFIC CRIMES WILL BE COMPLETELY FREE FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO ACCESS.