Commissioners Court: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Hays County

“The HCWC has been a partner with Hays County for a very long time and every year we do this proclamation,” Precinct 4 Commissioner Will Conley said.

The Hays County Commissioners Court proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month at its October 3 meeting and called on the residents of Hays County to be work with the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center and law enforcement to be aware of and report incidences of domestic violence.

The problems of domestic violence are not confined to any group of people but cut across all economic, racial, gender and societal barriers, according to the proclamation, which also states that last year 158 women in Texas lost their lives to domestic violence.

“The HCWC has been a partner with Hays County for a very long time and every year we do this proclamation,” Precinct 4 Commissioner Will Conley said. “It’s just heartbreaking to see these levels of numbers:  764 survivors of domestic violence in Hays County assisted by HCWC; 158 women were killed just in Texas from domestic violence in 2016. But there is a light, and that’s what HCWC does every day – providing guidance, shelter and resources for these victims.”

The HCWC provided face-to-face services to more than 1,050 local victims of domestic violence and provided 6,257 days of shelter last year.

 “We also appreciate the great program we have now in our schools, bringing awareness to this problem at a younger age,” Precinct 1 Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe said, referring to the HCWC program that helps high school students be aware of and avoid domestic and dating violence.

“People suffer in silence in this community every day, but we’re also reminded that there is hope,” HCWC Director of Community Partnerships Melissa Rodriguez told the Court. “Our young people are our vision for our future to end domestic violence. It’s important that we all talk about this issue.”

Photo Attached:

Left to right, Precinct 1 Constable David Peterson, Precinct 2 Commissioner Mark Jones, Sheriff’s Office Corrections Officer John Trinidad, Lt. Dennis Gutierrez, and Corrections Officer Adam Halstead, Precinct 1 Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe, Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center Digital Educator Karen Muñoz, Executive Director Marla Johnson, Director of Community Partnerships Melissa Rodriguez, Precinct 3 Commissioner Will Conley, Sheriff’s Office Victim Assistance Advocate Beatrice Moreno, Sheriff Gary Cutler, District Attorney Wes Mau, Precinct 1 Deputy Constable Greg Grumbles and Precinct 4 Commissioner Ray Whisenant.