Proclamation issued alongside Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence
Governor Janet Mills announced today that she has proclaimed the month of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Maine. The Governor made the announcement alongside members of the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence during a ceremony held this afternoon at the Blaine House.
(Left to Right) Nathan Golon of GoodFight Media, Francine Garland Stark of the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence, Patty Zimmerman, Governor Janet Mills, and Bill Zimmerman following the Domestic Violence Awareness Month announcement at the Blaine House.
“Some years ago, there was a young woman who dated a man who was handsome and charming and smart, and she was in love with him. The man was also an alcoholic, as it turned out. And one night in a drunken rage, that man held a gun to her head. The gun did not go off. She was alone in a strange city and had no place to go. She packed her bags and left that place and never turned back. The rest of the story is that that young woman went to law school. She became a prosecutor, later the Attorney General and now the Governor of the State of Maine,” said Governor Janet Mills.
“To make sure Maine people who have experienced, or who are experiencing domestic abuse know they’re not alone, and know that escape from violence is possible, I have declared October Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Maine,” Governor Mills continued. “We can prevent domestic abuse and domestic violence in Maine by spreading awareness, by improving public policies to better support people affected by abuse, and by holding perpetrators accountable. Every day, but especially during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, may we all do our part to spread awareness about domestic abuse, to challenge the behavior of abusive people, and to support survivors of domestic abuse, whoever they may be.”
Following remarks by the Governor, which included a reading of her proclamation, the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence premiered a short film intended to raise awareness of domestic abuse and violence and amplify survivors’ voices.
In her most recent weekly radio address, Governor Mills shared her personal story as a survivor of domestic violence and discussed resources for those impacted. Since taking office in 2019, the Governor has used her platform to raise awareness about domestic abuse, including being featured as part of the “Finding Our Voices” domestic violence awareness campaign.
In Maine, more than 14,000 people affected by domestic violence seek help each year, and nearly half of all homicides stem from domestic abuse. Nationwide, one in four women and one in seven men has experienced abuse and violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
In June, Governor Mills signed LD 692 into law, which established new restrictions and notification requirements for the early release of domestic abusers from county jails. This new law follows others signed by Governor Mills to strengthen Maine’s protections for those impacted by domestic violence, including legislation:
- making it harder for perpetrators to take control of victims’ financial resources;
- creating the crime of domestic violence aggravated assault, domestic violence elevated aggravated assault and domestic violence elevated aggravated assault on a pregnant person;
- extending the statute of limitations for victims of sexual assault from 8 to 20 years for criminal actions and eliminating it for certain civil actions;
- clarifying that stalking includes contact via social media;
- strengthening education about healthy and appropriate relationships;
- allowing a survivor to consult with a sexual assault counselor during a physical exam and providing that evidence collected during an exam may not be used as evidence against the victim for certain crimes;
- amending the Maine Criminal Code by including dating partners within the scope of domestic violence crimes;
- creating jurisdiction for the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy tribal courts to handle certain domestic violence cases;
- protecting individuals against gun violence while preserving the due process rights of persons with mental illness.
Read the full text of the Governor’s proclamation for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.