Domestic Violence Awareness Month: A Proclamation

Victim Services and Community Safety Network work together every year to proclaim October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month for both the Town of Jackson and Teton County.

Jackson’s mayor, Arne Jorgensen will read the proclamation at the 6PM October 6th meeting and Shannon Brooks Hamby, CSN’s Executive Director, read the proclamation at the County Voucher meeting this past September 29th. We are so grateful for our partnerships with our local government and the dedicated support of our elected officials. A special thank you to Tracey Trefren at Victim Services for supporting this project for so many years.

Please read the text of the proclamation below:

Proclamation Recognizing October 2025 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month 

WHEREAS, domestic violence is a serious crime affecting more than 10 million people in our country in a single year. In addition to destroying the dignity and agency of millions of survivors, domestic violence’s devastating effects extend out from the survivor like a web: children, families, schools, workplaces, economies, and entire communities all suffer from the dehumanizing force of domestic violence; and, 

WHEREAS, all of us deserve healthy relationships that promote our safety and well-being. It is an extreme cruelty of domestic violence that the person one should love and trust the most is the source of terror and suffering; and,  

WHEREAS, domestic violence does not happen in a vacuum, in fact, many societal beliefs support its prevalence. These harmful myths include that the only or worse kind of abuse is physical violence, that all victims are women, that domestic violence is a private issue, or that one can “just leave.” Psychological and financial abuse, for example, are just as insidious and challenging to escape as physical violence. While over 1 in 3 women have experienced stalking, rape, and/or physical violence from an intimate partner, 1 in 4 men have, as well. Leaving is the most dangerous time and often life-threatening. Lastly, domestic violence is not a private issue – it is a public health epidemic that relies on complicity to continue and will require all of us to embrace our roles in its dismantling; and, 

WHEREAS, domestic violence is preventable, and we all play a role in its end. A business owner may host CSN to train their employees on supporting survivors. A parent may teach their child the red flags of unhealthy relationships. A sibling may share CSN’s helpline. A stylist may encourage a client to believe they deserve better. A restaurant manager may place CSN stickers in every bathroom stall. A neighbor may express their concern. Anyone can say “I believe you, you’re not alone”; and, 

WHEREAS, we are all advocates, and I invite all citizens of the Town of Jackson to embrace their individual roles towards building a future without domestic violence; and,  

WHEREAS, Teton County Victim Services, The Community Safety Network, the Wyoming Division of Victim Services and the Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault encourages community leaders, co-workers, friends and loved ones to take a personal pledge to end domestic violence.  

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Arne Jorgensen, Mayor, do hereby proclaim October 2025 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and encourage us all to be part of the solution by pledging to never commit, condone or remain silent about violence.