ORDER-2021-29 : Proclamation of October 2020 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Transcript (~11 min @ 18:14)

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▶ 18:15 Speaker 1: You're on mute technical difficulty. Order 2021 dash 29 proclamation of October 2020. As domestic violence awareness month.

▶ 18:30 Shawn M. MacMaster: Councilor McMaster Thank you. Madam president at this time, I would ask for immediate consideration on order number 2021 dash 29.

▶ 18:37 Jen Grigoraitis: Okay, so we have consideration by councilor McMaster on this order for any objection. Seeing none, this order is now before us. Councillor McMaster.

▶ 18:51 Shawn M. MacMaster: Thank you again, Madam President. At this time, I would make a motion to suspend the rules so that we may invite the Mayor in to join us as well as Ms. Mooney from the Melrose Alliance Against Violence.

▶ 19:04 Jen Grigoraitis: Thank you. We have a motion to suspend the rules made by Councillor McMaster. Do we have a second? Second. Okay, we have a motion to suspend the rules made by Councillor McMaster, seconded by Councillor Migliorelli. Is there any discussion? And then, Madam clerk, can you please call the role counselor?

▶ 19:20 Speaker 8: Yes, counselor echoes. Yes. Counselor. Yes.

▶ 19:29 Speaker 2: Yes, counselor McMaster yes.

▶ 19:33 Speaker 8: Councilor not and we lost him. Okay. Counselor.

▶ 19:43 Speaker 2: Yes, sir. Stuart yes.

▶ 19:45 Speaker 8: Counselor Thomas yes.

▶ 19:50 Speaker 2: Councilor Tramontozzi? Yes. President Grigoraitis? Yes. Tanyas? Tanyas, so the motion carries.

▶ 19:53 Jen Grigoraitis: Welcome Mr. Mayor and the floor is yours on this order. Thank you Madam President and I would thank

▶ 20:01 Paul Brodeur: the members of the Council and particularly yourself for the the work that you do with victims at MOVA and for uh to Council McMaster for making sure we we get this right and certainly and most obviously to Rebecca Mooney, the Executive Director of the Military Alliance Against Violence for 25 years of doing work in the community um to do prevention to do well everything under the sun and rebecca is a far better spokesperson uh than i but the one thing that is particularly remarkable about this group and organization is that we figured out a couple of years ago that we are now into our second generation of activists that are working with maeve doing the the walk and contributing to that important work. That is how we're going to break the cycle. If you don't mind, I will read the resolution and then the Executive Director can jump in if that is acceptable to you, Madam President.

▶ 21:06 Speaker 7: Certainly. It sounds wonderful.

▶ 21:08 Paul Brodeur: Very good. This is a proclamation recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Whereas domestic violence is one of the most critical and far-reaching issues of our time, affecting individuals of every age, culture, class, gender, race, and religion. And whereas, according to the United States Department of Justice, domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44. every 21 days a woman is killed by domestic violence and more than three million children witness acts of domestic violence each year and whereas since last October 11th 11 people have died in Massachusetts as a result of domestic violence including 10 women and one man whereas for the past 25 years the Melrose Alliance Against Violence in conjunction with the police Department and the Melrose Public Schools has taken important steps to reduce domestic violence in our community through education, outreach, and support services, as well as programs to prevent violence, such as mentoring, peer leadership, and bullying prevention. Now therefore, I, Paul Broder, Mayor of the City of Melrose, Massachusetts, do hereby I proclaim the month of October 2020 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and recognizes the accomplishment of the Melrose Alliance Against Violence on its 25th anniversary, dated this 15th day of October, which is the date we signed off on, of this year. Ms. Mooney, on behalf of a grateful city, I want to thank you for your efforts and turn the floor over to you for any remarks you'd like to make.

▶ 22:57 Speaker 10: Thank you so much. Can you all hear me? Okay, good. I'm used to Zoom. This is a little different format here, but I just really want to thank everyone for your years of support of MAVE. The leadership of the city supporting us is really, really important, and we just really appreciate your support, sponsoring the walk and all the ways that you support us. And Just to say, it's our 25th anniversary and like everything else, our plans had to be revamped, but we're excited about the ways in which we can still celebrate and involve the community. So last Friday, we videotaped the candlelight vigil and actually it was sad to just realize that there's been one more victim since we sent that information over to the mayor's office. So there were 12 victims to honor. But we videotaped it and it was broadcast Sunday at 4 o'clock on MMTV. It was on our Facebook page, so you can still go and watch it anytime. And then the walk will be this coming weekend, the 24th and 25th. And we're just saying, you know, walk at any time over the weekend with your friends, your family, by yourself if you like. The walk route is the same as it always is. And we've added, just to add some interest, since people are kind of doing it on their own, 25 things to look for, sort of a treasure hunt of 25 things. And they're all related to our history and our mission. So, for the first time, we're asking people to register for the walk. There's a level that's just completely free, but we kind of want to keep track of who's participating. And then also when you register, you'll receive a copy of the map route and the 25 things checklist. And there will be an information table at the Beebe estate, the silent witness exhibit. Hopefully some of you have seen our mural that's the beautiful mural outside at the Y that Follow Your Art had painted for us that says be the light. We're encouraging folks to stand in that in those letters and take a picture and send it to us. So we try to be creative and again come up with some socially distanced ways that people could still be involved but I just want to say you know with this year we sent out a letter to all of our community sponsors which are families individuals and mostly small businesses in Melrose saying we know it's a difficult year and if you can help out please do but if you can't we're still gonna put you on the back of our t-shirt as a gesture of support for all the years you've supported us and i would say at least half if not more still sent in a contribution so that is just incredible we are almost at fifty thousand dollars between those sponsorships and what people have donated so that's just we're just overwhelmed really with the incredible support of the community and um just want to say thank you thank you thank you mayor broder for the proclamation

▶ 26:08 Jen Grigoraitis: Thank you, Ms. Mooney, for being here and for all the work that you do in our community every day. I know back in September, the New England Journal of Medicine actually declared intimate partner violence a pandemic within a pandemic because we're asking everyone to stay at home. And that is often where victims of domestic violence are not safe. So for those in our community who are watching tonight or have a loved one who they believe is at risk, is there any information or resource that you'd like to put out there for them?

▶ 26:35 Speaker 10: Sure. I mean, there's the domestic violence, the national hotline is 24-7, and that number is 1-800-799-SAFE. So I would say that's always the first thing because it's 24-7 and it's national. But also, you know, during the week, please call us at 781-662-2010. You can also reach out by email, info at mave.org. And we will do everything we can to help. You know, again, these are really difficult times, but that doesn't mean there aren't still resources out there for help. So please do reach out. And I know a lot of times it's a friend or family member that reaches out. The victim themselves sometimes isn't quite ready. So we also really encourage friends and family members to help us, to reach out to us, and we will help you provide the support that the victim needs.

▶ 27:28 Jen Grigoraitis: Thank you and thank you for reminding folks that they're never alone.

▶ 27:33 Jen Grigoraitis: Anything else for my fellow counselors. None, thank you both for being here tonight. Oh, Councilor McMaster.

▶ 27:41 Shawn M. MacMaster: Thank you, Madam president at this time, I would move to place order number 2021 dash 29 on file 2nd.

▶ 27:51 Jen Grigoraitis: We have a move into place for 2021 dash 29 on file made by Councilor McMaster seconded by Councilor Stewart. Is there any discussion Madam clerk? Can you please call the roll?

▶ 28:04 Speaker 8: Councilor Snell? Yes. Councilor Eccles? Yes. Councilor Garipay? Yes. Councilor Jamaleddine?

▶ 28:15 Speaker 2: Yes. Councilor McMaster?

▶ 28:20 Speaker 8: Yes. Councilor McNaught? Yes.

▶ 28:28 Speaker 8: councillor Migliorelli yes councillor stewart yes councillor thomas yes councillor Tramontozzi yes

▶ 28:37 Jen Grigoraitis: president Grigoraitis yes 11 yes 11 yes and the motion carries thank you again for being both again for being here tonight and i know the council is fielding a walk team and we look