Domestic Violence Awareness Month
This MARADMIN designates October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and directs commanders and support staff to develop coordinated awareness campaigns with the theme "Take a Stand Against Domestic Violence." The message emphasizes that domestic violence is inconsistent with Marine Corps values and encourages units to utilize available resources through Family Advocacy Programs and other support services to prevent and address domestic violence in Marine families.
Issued: September 30, 2005
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.