Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation's "Walk a Mile in Their Mocs"

Event to Kick off Domestic Violence Month

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Native Brief: MAYETTA, KANSAS - The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation kicks off Domestic Violence Awareness Month today with the "Walk a Mile in Their Mocs" event at Prairie Peoples Park, today.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month across the nation.

The Prairie Band's Family Violence Prevention program has a staff of three and is located in Social Services. The purpose of the program is to provide services to victims including counseling, transportation, and referrals. In addition, the program offers programs and educational materials geared to reducing violence in the community through presentations, exhibits, and through networking with other local, state, and national groups.

The first Domestic Violence Awareness Month was observed in 1987 and in 1989 Congress passed Public Law 101-112 that declared October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In 1994, another form of legislation called The Violence Against Women Act became federal law. Last year, President Obama issued a proclamation that included the following excerpt:

In the 16 years since the passage of the Violence Against Woman Act, we have broken the silence surrounding domestic violence to reach thousands of survivors, prevent countless incidences of abuse, and save untold numbers of lives. While these are critical achievements, domestic violence remains a devastating public health crisis when one in four women will be physically or sexually assaulted by a partner at some point in her lifetime. During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we recognize the tremendous progress made in reducing domestic violence, and we recommit to making everyone's home a safe place for them.

While domestic violence spans across gender, American Indian women suffer from some horrific domestic violence facts:

posted October 1, 2011 7:00 am edt