R 170136Z OCT 12
UNCLASSIFIED/
MARADMIN 596/12
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MF(UC)/F002//
SUBJ/DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH//
POC/MS. KESHA RAWLINGS/-/UNIT:MFC-2/-/TEL:703-784-9546//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. OCTOBER 2012 IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH. THIS YEAR'S CAMPAIGN THEME IS "KEEPIN' OUR HOMES COMBAT FREE." THIS MONTH MARKS THE BEGINNING OF A YEAR-LONG EFFORT TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE DAMAGING EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. EXPOSURE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PUTS OUR MARINES, SAILORS, SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN IN DANGER OF LONG-TERM PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND EMOTIONAL HARM. YOUNG WOMEN ARE AMONG THE MOST VULNERABLE, SUFFERING THE HIGHEST RATES OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE. CHILDREN WHO EXPERIENCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARE AT A HIGHER RISK FOR FAILURE IN SCHOOL, EMOTIONAL DISORDERS, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND ARE MORE LIKELY TO PERPETUATE THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE THEMSELVES.
2. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DESTROYS FAMILIES, SCARS CHILDREN, AND ULTIMATELY AFFECTS MILITARY READINESS. TO COMBAT THE ASSAULT ON UNIT READINESS, THE MARINE CORPS COMMUNITY SERVICES (MCCS), FAMILY ADVOCACY PROGRAM (FAP) STAFF, MILITARY POLICE, LEGAL OFFICES, CHAPLAINS, AND OUR CIVILIAN COUNTERPARTS HAVE JOINED FORCES TO ROUTE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FROM OUR BASES, STATIONS AND THEIR SURROUNDING AREAS TO MAKE OUR HOMES COMBAT FREE.
3. INSTALLATION COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO COORDINATE WITH THE MCCS FAP STAFF, FOR PRESENTATIONS, BRIEFS, WORKSHOPS, AND CLASSES ON EARLY RECOGNITION AND IDENTIFICATION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. THE MOST POWERFUL AND EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION TOOL IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS EDUCATION. EVERY MARINE, FAMILY MEMBER, AND CIVILIAN IS ENCOURAGED TO BECOME KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ABUSE.
4. JOIN THE TEAM TO PREVENT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. TOGETHER WE MUST END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ITS HARMFUL EFFECTS ON THE MARINE CORPS.
5. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY BGEN R.F. HEDELUND, DIRECTOR, MARINE AND FAMILY PROGRAMS DIVISION.//