The Domestic Violence Committee was formed to address the scourge of domestic violence in Armenia and the diaspora.  The Committee seeks to increase access to justice for victims of domestic violence of Armenian descent internationally, strengthen the existing domestic violence law in Armenia to better protect victims of domestic violence, including children, and provide support to non-governmental organizations (NGOs), non-profit organizations and other activists in Armenia on campaigns and projects to educate the citizens of Armenia on the deleterious impact of domestic violence. The Committee will also raise awareness about domestic violence in diasporan communities.

Co-Chairs:
Anahid Ugurlayan
New York, NY
[email protected]

Ani Garikian
Los Angeles, CA
[email protected]

On February 9, 2022, Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 in the U.S. Senate.  VAWA was reauthorized by the U.S. House of Representatives last March.  This bipartisan bill expands and enhances services for all survivors, improves access to justice in the hopes of preventing future violence.  For more information and on sample scripts to contact your senators, access this link: https://docs.google.com/document/u/1/d/1aOtn7slGBj9nGgytU72EPE6jvlxG0ri_-Vx06eAQQYE/mobilebasic
 
This is also Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month.  On Valentine’s Day, remember that love at any age should not make you afraid for your physical, emotional or psychological well-being.  Teens ages 12 to 19 experience the highest rates of rape and sexual assault, and girls are more susceptible to experiencing violence in relationships and suffer long-term behavioral and health consequences.  For more information and on how to talk to teens, be they in your family or community, access this link: https://youth.gov/youth-topics/teen-dating-violence/resources
Domestic-Violence-Laws-Enforcement-in-Armenia-Recommendations-Report-2022-1

The purpose of the UN’s #16days of gender-based violence awareness campaign (“Orange The World”) is education and activism — educating people about its different forms and its pervasiveness and challenging people to take action.  That is what the Armenian Bar Association has endeavored to do, raising awareness about domestic violence in Armenia and the diaspora through thought-provoking posts.  As in many cultures, in Armenia and among Armenians in the diaspora, domestic violence is under-reported and swept under the rug. By posting thought-provoking images and statements we can bring about awareness to this problem in order to eradicate it from our communities. Though the posts may have caused discomfort to the viewer, rest assured that such discomfort pales in comparison to the pain and suffering of domestic violence survivors or the families of deceased domestic violence victims. Domestic violence is an uncomfortable subject to discuss, but unless it is discussed, prevention is not possible.  Raising awareness about domestic violence in Armenia and the diaspora — which has not been on pause during the war nor during the pandemic — is long overdue. And we are just getting started.  Stay tuned for updates on our work which relate to proposed changes to Armenia’s domestic violence law and awareness campaigns. #generationequality #16days #domesticviolenceawareness #դեմեմբռնությանը #againstviolence
Image courtesy of Araz Artinian

The Armenian Bar Association is joining the UN’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign which was launched in 2008 to  prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls around the World.  Each day, for the next 16 days, we will raise awareness about domestic violence in Armenia and the importance of eliminating violence against women and girls and supporting efforts to promote gender equality.  We can and must do better as a nation and as a people. If you want to learn more, you can access the link to our Domestic Violence Committee’s page for resources and organizations assisting survivors of domestic violence: https://armenianbar.org/programs/domestic-violence/. Image courtesy of Araz Artinian #orangetheworld #generationequality #16days #domesticviolenceawareness #դեմեմբռնությանը #againstviolence

Resources

For Armenia and Georgia:  https://safeyou.space/
For Armenia only: Women’s Support Center – https://www.womensupportcenter.org

For U.S.:  National Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org

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