County brings awareness to domestic violence

The Travis County Commissioners Court has unanimously approved a proclamation declaring October Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The proclamation, sponsored by commissioners Gerald Daugherty and Margaret Gómez, urges county residents to light their homes and businesses purple in solidarity and to help spread awareness of the problem of domestic violence. “We all have some sort of connection, relationship-wise, with someone that has had to deal with this atrocity,” Daugherty said. Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez said the pandemic has forced many victims to remain inside with their abusers, adding, “We continue to work with our partners to provide safety and support to our families which in turn builds strong and safe communities.” Precinct 5 Constable Carlos Lopez said the precinct has answered 640 domestic violence calls during the fiscal year, down 185 from the previous year, and thanked the court for its condolences on the passing of Sgt. Dale Multer, who worked on domestic violence cases until contracting Covid-19. The proclamation encourages residents to participate in events scheduled by the Austin/Travis County Family Violence Task Force and other community organizations.