ORDER-2020-31 : Proclaiming October 2019 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Transcript (~7 min @ 10:30)

Speakers identified by voice; unnamed voices are numbered within this recording. Auto-caption text — verify against the video.

▶ 10:26 Speaker 4: order 2020-31 proclaiming october 2019 as domestic violence awareness month council's worker please

▶ 10:36 Michael P. Zwirko: i move to seek immediate consideration of this order mr president

▶ 10:40 Peter D. Mortimer: council's worko has made a request for immediate consideration Is there any objection to this request for immediate consideration? Seeing none, please proceed, Councilor Zwirko.

▶ 10:51 Michael P. Zwirko: Mr. President, I also ask that we suspend the rules at this time.

▶ 10:54 Peter D. Mortimer: Councilor Zwirko has made a motion to suspend the rules, duly seconded by? Second. Alderman, excuse me, Councilor McMaster. I knew it had to happen sooner or later. That was the first one. Hopefully no more. By Councilor McMaster, all in favor of the motion for immediate, excuse me, motion to suspend the rules, please say aye. aye any opposed hearing none the rules are now suspended and we will ask that the mayor come up to read this proclamation on domestic violence awareness month and we also ask that members of maeve alderman mcmaster and alderman Zwirko counselors sir counselors please come up

▶ 11:53 Speaker 1: to the the front that's two it's gonna be hard don't sit back down okay i wasn't gonna

▶ 12:10 Gail Infurna: good evening I have a proclamation whereas domestic violence is one of the most critical and far-reaching issues of our time affecting individuals of every age culture class gender and religion race and religion and whereas according to the US 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 3 million children witness acts of domestic violence each year. And whereas since last October, 17 people have died in Massachusetts as a result of domestic violence, all women. Whereas for the past 24 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 Gail M Inferno mayor of the city of Melrose Massachusetts and the Melrose City Council do hereby proclaim the month of October 2019 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and we recognize the accomplishments of the Melrose Alliance Against Violence on its 24th anniversary and she needs no introduction but I

▶ 13:39 Gail Infurna: would like to ask that Rebecca say a few words without Rebecca leading this group and leading our community against domestic violence we wouldn't have this somewhat success that we do have here in Melrose so thank you for everything so

▶ 14:01 Speaker 5: I'm really happy to be joined tonight by members of our board of directors our staff and members of our annual walk committee it really is a team effort Versilia Cataldo Matarazzo of Everett neighboring community of Everett was 50 years old with three grown children when she finally decided to leave her abusive marriage last December she was staying at her parents house she was in her own car sitting in their driveway when her estranged husband shot her and killed her. She's just one of the victims that we'll be honoring at our candlelight vigil on October 20th and her daughter, Amada, will be lighting a candle and reading her name in her honor. Last year there were 10 victims of domestic violence homicide. This year there are 18. There's been one more since the proclamation was written you may have heard about it October 3rd in Worcester we will continue to hold this event until there are no more victims I want to thank the Melrose City Council for your ongoing support and invite you and everyone watching at home to attend our walk on October 20th we come together to take a stand and to take steps against violence the vigil starts at 4 o'clock at the middle in the middle school auditorium the walk is a little less than two miles through downtown Melrose and around El Pond and we come back to the middle school cafeteria for refreshments and as somber as the vigil is the walk is also a celebration of all that we've accomplished together all ages are welcome the event happens rain or shine let's hope for shine and we hope that you will join us and thank you again so much for your support I'll make

▶ 16:10 Speaker 1: I want to place on file.

▶ 16:19 Speaker 1: Councilor Search, please.

▶ 16:21 Michael P. Zwirko: Yes, so at this time, I'd like to make a motion to place the order on file.

▶ 16:25 Peter D. Mortimer: Councilor Search has made a motion to place the order on file, duly seconded by Councilor Lipa Garabedian, on discussion.

▶ 16:32 Kate Lipper-Garabedian: Yes, I just wanted to also share my appreciation for the mayor and for the work of Maeve and my colleagues who are so supportive of it, and remind our community that this is, We haven't had a victim here in terms of a death, but we heard just this year that our domestic violence calls to the police department were up to 141 through May 13th of this year compared to only 103 the year before. So this is certainly something that afflicts our neighbors, and I'm glad that we continue to shine a light on it and look for opportunities to provide resources and support to those