MARADMINS : 449/05
301304Z SEP 05
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)
TO AL MARADMIN(UC)
MARADMIN 449/05
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MR//
SUBJ/DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH//
POC/TRACY PERL/-/MRRO/-/TEL:703-784-9526/EMAIL:TRACY.PERL@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. OCTOBER IS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH. TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE EFFECTS OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, COMMANDERS, MILITARY POLICE, LEGAL OFFICES,
CHAPLAINS, MILITARY TREATMENT FACILITIES, MARINE CORPS COMMUNITY
SERVICES (MCCS) FAMILY ADVOCACY PROGRAM (FAP) STAFF, AND OUR
CIVILIAN COUNTERPARTS SHOULD DEVELOP A COORDINATED AWARENESS
CAMPAIGN. THIS CAMPAIGN, WITH THE THEME "TAKE A STAND AGAINST
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE", SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO ENERGIZE AND EMPOWER THE
COMMUNITY TO PREVENT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BEFORE IT OCCURS AND TO
CHANGE COLLECTIVE ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS THAT CONDONE OR ACCEPT
VIOLENT BEHAVIOR OF ANY KIND IN INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS.
INSTALLATIONS CAN TAP INTO ESTABLISHED NATIONAL CAMPAIGNS TOWARD
THIS EFFORT. A SAMPLE OF THESE CAMPAIGNS CAN BE FOUND AT
WWW.ENDABUSE.ORG.
2. SO FAR IN FY05, 805 INCIDENTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (INTIMATE
PARTNER ABUSE) IN MARINE FAMILIES HAVE BEEN SUBSTANTIATED. DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH OUR MARINE CORPS VALUES: HONOR,
COURAGE, AND COMMITMENT. HONOR NEVER COMES FROM VIOLENCE AGAINST AN
INTIMATE PARTNER. WHEN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OCCURS, IT NEEDS TO BE
ISOLATED AND ADDRESSED, BUT THE SITUATION ALSO PROVIDES LEADERS AT
ALL LEVELS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DELIVER A STRONG MESSAGE TO THE ENTIRE
UNIT ABOUT APPROPRIATE ATTITUDES, VALUES, AND CONDUCT. THE MARINE
CORPS HAS A STRONG HISTORY OF TAKING YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN AND TURNING
THEM INTO EXCEPTIONAL MARINES. TAKING A STAND AGAINST DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE FURTHERS THIS TRANSFORMATION, MAKING YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN
EXCEPTIONAL IN THEIR INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS.
3. RESOURCES ARE READILY AVAILABLE AT THE LOCAL MCCS FAMILY
ADVOCACY OFFICE AT WWW.USMC-MCCS.ORG, THROUGH THE ONLINE USMC
LEADER'S GUIDE FOR MANAGING MARINES IN DISTRESS (WWW.USMC-MCCS.ORG),
MILITARY HOMEFRONT (WWW.MILITARYHOMEFRONT.DOD.MIL), OR THE NATIONAL
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE, (WWW.NDVH.ORG).
4. AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, EVERY INSTALLATION HAS A FAP RESPONSIBLE FOR
PROVIDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES. COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO
COORDINATE WITH THE MCCS FAP STAFF, WHO CAN PROVIDE BRIEFS,
WORKSHOPS, AND CLASSES ON EARLY RECOGNITION AND DETECTION OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. MILITARY MEMBERS OR FAMILIES EXPERIENCING
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHOULD NOT STAND ALONE OR SUFFER IN SILENCE.
STANDING TOGETHER WE CAN WORK TO ELIMINATE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FROM
THE MARINE CORPS.//