First, I want to thank all of you for taking the time to read this, I sincerely hope this educates those about Domestic Violence and sends the intended message on why New Beginnings Foundation is important to helping those in Domestic violence situations and why the cycle needs to end.
Domestic Violence has been around and infesting inside relationships since the 1800’s, wife beating was made legal in all States of the United States of America under common law. One of the first traces of the law’s response to domestic violence is found in the Roman Code of Paterfamilias literal translation: the Roman Code of the male head of a family or household which reads: “If you should discover your wife in adultery, you may with impunity put her to death without trial, but if you should commit adultery or indecency, she must not presume to lay a finger on you, nor does the law allow it”.
Calvin Bradley v .The State of Mississippi (1834) was the first major American court case that seemed to limit a husband’s ability to physically abuse his wife beyond the common law. In 1848, at the Seneca Falls Woman’s Rights Convention, women united to protest that the law granted men the power, within some bounds, to physically abuse their wives.
In 1871, for the first time in American jurisprudence, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled in Fulgham v. State that absent self-defense, a husband could not physically assault his wife. It was not until the late 1960-1970’s that limited in roads against domestic violence were made. In 1976, a study done by the Police Foundation found that the police had intervened at least once in the former two years in 85% of families where subsequently a murder of a spouse occurred. In 1984, Congress passed the “Family Violence Prevention and Services Act” which was followed by the 2005 regarding the Violence Against Women Act (which was renewed and expanded in 2012 to include same sex couple and provide people with U Visas and in 2013 a re-authorization was issued which contained equal coverage for men.
In 1984, the United States Federal Court heard from domestic violence survivor in Tracey vs. Thurman. In that case, a wife who had been abused and nearly killed by her husband and obtained numerous restraining orders, sued the police protection based on the equal protection clause based on the police ignoring her husband’s domestic violence and not enforcing the restraining orders. On September 13, 1994 Bill Clinton signed into law the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) this law help save lives reducing violence against women. In 2019 the Violence Against Women Act was reauthorized along with the Phoenix Act to extend domestic violence statute of limitation reports from 3 to 5 years.
Wait! There is more. Law Enforcement Officers beat their wives or girlfriends at nearly double the rate of the population and no reports on their officers are reported. Women fear for their lives and without protection nearly 30% of these victims disappear or killed. No discussion from lawmakers yet on police brutality in the home for we must dismantling the secrets within the police department against fellow officers who commit domestic violence towards their victims. We cry Justice and accountability.
When women and men victims are brutally beaten and the scars aren’t physical it’s psychological. The statistics of women being abused in a domestic violence relationship is 85% and for men is 15%. I write to you not just as another person that wants to put an end to this domestic violence era once and for all, but as someone that has experienced and knows the physical and mental toll that the domestic violence cycle has on a person. Domestic Violence is like being on an empty road all by yourself and not knowing where to go. It is a struggle to heal on your own and trying to navigate the empty road by yourself. However, with New Beginnings Foundation’s mission and intended goal, no one will suffer hunger, homelessness or be alone again due to Domestic Violence.
New Beginnings Foundation was created for victims that has taken a beating from the cycle of violence and looking to escape and feel safe. The road won’t be easy or empty for victims, but we will connect our road to theirs with a welcoming team of volunteer supporters, counselors, health administrators, advocates, resources and stories from survivors. No one will ever go through the experience of feeling alone.
We, as a local community organization serving a large population of men, women and children in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area are asking also for your help by making a difference and supporting our programs. Charitable giving can go a long way for victims seeking shelter, mental health and preventive programs.
Help victims get to safety, a life is worth saving. No donation is too small or too large to help individuals and families stay safe. We are a nonprofit 501c3 Tax Exempt organization approved by the Internal Revenue Service.
This is an educational message intended to provide public awareness, and to reach the lost and found.
If you have any questions or concerns, we would be happy to address them. Please contact us at admin@newbeginningsfoundation.org. Thank you so much for your time and in advance your donation.
Sincerely,
DeLishia A. Davis
Executive Director
New Beginnings Foundation 