ADDRESSING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE

WHEREAS, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, more than 27,000 (often unreported) incidents of domestic violence and intimate partner violence occur every day across the United States; and

WHEREAS, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, over 60 percent of children in America were exposed to violence, crime or abuse in their homes, schools and communities, with 40 percent of those children being direct victims of two or more violent acts; and

WHEREAS, domestic violence and intimate partner violence result in countless occurrences of physical, emotional and psychological harm, and even death, nationwide; and

WHEREAS, 12.1 percent of high school students in the United States reported having been physically hurt (excluding sexual violence) by a significant other in just the past year, and 11.8 percent reported experiencing sexual dating violence; and

WHEREAS, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the United States have experienced some form of physical violence by a significant other; and

WHEREAS, countless numbers of students and educators fall victim to domestic violence and intimate partner violence; and

WHEREAS, domestic violence and intimate partner violence have myriad negative effects on individual victims, family units, communities and young people; and

WHEREAS, various states have designated October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and have increased funding and support for state-licensed service providers to assist survivors of domestic violence and their families; and

WHEREAS, states such as Georgia, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia already offer training to educators on domestic violence indicators and interventions, and such training nationwide would ensure adherence to best educational practices for ending domestic violence and intimate partner violence:

RESOLVED, that the AFT will work with local, state and national coalition partners to educate young people, AFT members, and the American public about the dangers of domestic violence and intimate partner violence and to offer resources to combat, prevent and eliminate these violent incidents in the future; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will disseminate to its members and other educators information and resources to fight and end domestic violence and intimate partner violence; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will provide members, caregivers, students and others with opportunities designed to help recognize and eradicate domestic violence (including, but not limited to, learning warning signs, forms of domestic violence, patterns, and interventions to eliminate domestic abuse, teen dating violence and intimate partner violence); and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will work with educational institutions to identify and assist students who are victims of domestic violence or live in households where incidents of domestic violence and intimate partner violence occur; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT, along with dedicated personnel, will seek to offer counseling and other resources to assist victims of domestic violence and intimate partner violence and to work to eradicate domestic violence and intimate partner violence in the future.

Adopted May 28, 2025