ADDRESS By C. EVERETT Koop, M.D, SURGEON GENERAL U.S. PuBLic HEALTH SERVICE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PRESENTED AT THE SURGEON GENERAL’S NORTHWEST REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE SEATTLE, WASHINGTON SEPTEMBER 23, 1987 It (GREETINGS TO HOSTS, GUESTS, FRIENDS, ETC, ) I’M DELIGHTED TO BE WITH YOU THIS EVENING TO HELP OPEN THIS LONG-AWAITED NORTHWEST REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE BEFORE I GET TOO INVOLVED IN MY REMARKS, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THE EXCELLENT WORK DONE BY YOUR STEERING COMMITTEE AND ESPECIALLY BY THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE. KARIL KLINGBEIL, I] FIRST MET KARIL AT THE ORIGINAL SURGEON GENERAL'S WORKSHOP AT LEESBURG, A YEAR AND 11 MONTHS AGO. I HAD INVITED KARIL TO COME OUT AND TALK TO ABOUT 170 OF HER COLLEAGUES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY, | 2 T WANTED HER TO SHARE HER EXPERIENCES ESTABLISHING AND RUNNING A WORKABLE, INTERDISCIPLINARY ORGANIZATION WITHIN A MAJOR HOSPITAL...AN ORGANIZATION, MOREOVER, THAT DEALS COMPASSTONATELY AND PROFESSIONALLY WITH VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT SHE DID...AND DID IT IN A VERY IMPRESSIVE WAY, A FEW MONTHS LATER, WHEN SHE WROTE TO TELL ME SHE WAS START- ING WORK ON A NORTHWEST REGIONAL CONFERENCE MODELLED ON LEESBURG, T WAS DELIGHTED. 1 HAD A HUNCH IT WOULD HAPPEN...AND IT WOULD BE GOOD. AND OBVIOUSLY MY HUNCH WAS CORRECT, 3 AND LET ME CONVEY JUST ONE MORE PERSONAL MESSAGE OF THANKS. THIS ONE GOES TO OUR RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE HERE IN REGION 10, ASSISTANT SURGEON GENERAL DOROTHY H. MANN, I DO A LOT OF TRAVELING AROUND THIS COUNTRY. MEETING WITH PUBLIC HEALTH GROUPS AND OTHERS, TALKING WITH THE PRESS, AND SO ON. IT WOULD BE AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK FOR ME, IF 17 WERE NOT FOR THE FACT THAT THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE HAS IN EACH OF THE REGIONS OF THIS COUNTRY, AN EXPERIENCED, KNOWLEDGEABLE. AND LIKABLE PERSON REPRESENTING US DAY IN AND DAY OUT. 4 AND ASSISTANT SURGEON GENERAL MANN IS RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THAT LIST, THE MINUTE I TELL PEOPLE THAT I WORK FOR HER, ALL THE DOORS OF REGION 10 SWING OPEN. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING, DOROTHY, AND TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED PUT THIS CONFERENCE TOGETHER, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH, NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO, AS WE WERE CHECKING OUT OF THE CON- FERENCE CENTER AT LEESBURG, VIRGINIA, I WAS SATISFIED THAT WE HAD DONE THE BEST JOB WE COULD TO MAKE THE CASE THAT. YES, VIOLENCE IS A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE FOR ALL AMERICANS. 5 WE COULD NO LONGER ASK THE POLICE AND THE COURTS TO DEAL WITH VIOLENCE AS THEIR ISSUE ALONE. VIOLENCE, AFTER ALL. HAS HAD A CLEAR AND MEASURABLE IMPACT UPON THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR CITIZENS, AND EVERY DAY IT ALSO HAS A MAJOR IMPACT UPON OUR CLINICS, OUR HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOMS, AND ALL OUR HEALTH CARE FACILITIES. IN ADDITION -- 1 BELIEVED IT THEN AND I BELIEVE IT STILL -- THAT, IN THE LONG RUN, THE PEOPLE IN MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH WILL BE THE ONES WHO WILL GENERATE THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO PREVENT VIOLENCE IN OUR HOMES AND IN OUR COMMUNITIES, 6 SINCE THE LEESBURG MEETING THERE’S BEEN A SOUTHWEST REGIONAL CONFERENCE...A MIDWEST CONFERENCE, EARLIER THIS WEEK, AS A MATTER OF FACT. IN INDIANAPOLIS...A MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL CONFERENCE IS TAKING PLACE IN NOVEMBER... AND THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL STATEWIDE CONFERENCES, ALSO, WE’VE DONE A NUMBER OF THINGS IN MY OFFICE. ALSO, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE LAUNCHED A JOINT “LAW/HEALTH INITIATIVE” LAST YEAR. AS PART OF THAT INITIATIVE WERE DRAWING UP A DOCUMENT TO SEND TO ALL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS REGARDING THE IDENTIFICATION AND TREATMENT OF CHILD VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE AND THE COLLECTION OF COURT-WORTHY EVIDENCE TO PROVE THAT ABUSE TOOK PLACE. 7 MY 8-PERSON PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT INCLUDED PEOPLE FROM PEDIATRICS. NURSING, LAW ENFORCEMENT, SOCIAL SERVICES, AND THE CIVIL COURTS, ONE OF THE MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE LEESBURG WORKSHOP WAS A REQUEST THAT THE SURGEON GENERAL BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN THE ISSUE OF SPOUSE ABUSE AND WOMAN BATTERING, I‘M PLEASED TO SAY THAT, IN LINE WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION, WE‘VE CONTRIBUTED TO THE PITTSBURGH WOMEN’S CENTER MANUAL ON THE TREATMENT OF WOMEN VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. WE ALSO SENT OVER 140 COPIES OF THAT MANUAL TO THE APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL IN OUR OWN PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, 8 WE ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE MARCH OF DIMES VIDEOTAPE CALLED CRIME AGAINST THE FUTURE, WHICH FOCUSES ON THE ABUSE OF PREGNANT WOMEN, A PARTICULARLY NASTY BUSINESS THAT HAPPENS TO ABOUT 8 PERCENT OF ALL PREGNANT WOMEN, I] ALSO MET WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OBSTETRICIANS AND GYNECOLOGISTS AND ASKED THAT THEY ADVISE THEIR MEMBERSHIP TO BE ALERT TO THE NEEDS OF BATTERED PREGNANT WOMEN. THE COLLEGE, IN TURN, HAS CARRIED THIS INFORMATION IN THEIR NATIONAL NEWSLETTER, THEY'RE DEVELOPING A “TECHNICAL BULLETIN” ON THE TOPIC, AND IT WILL HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE ON THE AGENDA OF THEIR NEXT NATIONAL CONVENTION, 9 ALSO, SOME MEMBERS OF A.C.0.6, ARE HELPING THE NATIONAL COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE GET MAXIMUM PUBLICITY FOR OCTOBER AS "NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH” AND THAT REMINDS ME, EARLIER TODAY, I HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE WITH SOME REPRESENTATIVES OF THE WASHINGTON STATE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE AND UNVEILED OUR BRAND-NEW 30-SECOND, T.V, PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT ON SPOUSE ABUSE AND WOMAN BATTERING. THIS PARTICULAR SPOT IS BEING USED BY ALL 50 STATE COALITIONS AND ABOUT TWICE AS MANY LOCAL WOMEN’S SHELTERS AS A WAY TO ADVERTISE THEIR RESPECTIVE 800-NUMBER “HOTLINES,” BEGINNING ON OCTOBER 1, 10 SO WE’VE BEEN RATHER BUSY, I’M GLAD TO REPORT THIS KIND OF ACTIVITY TO YOU. BUT AS I DO. I AM ALSO FULLY AWARE THAT THE PROBLEM OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE IN THIS COUNTRY MAY REQUIRE A HUNDRED TIMES THE EFFORT WE'VE EXPENDED ON IT THUS FAR, BEFORE WE’LL SEE ANY SERIOUS SIGNS OF CHANGE. MEANWHILE, ABOUT 4 MILLION OF OUR FELLOW CITIZENS -- AND THAT'S A VERY CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE -- BUT ABOUT 4 MILLION AMERICANS EACH YEAR ARE BRUTALLY VICTIMIZED IN THE PRIVACY OF THEIR OWN HOMES, ll THESE 4 MILLION PEOPLE ARE AMONG OUR MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS: THEY INCLUDE WELL OVER A MILLION CHILDREN. MOST OF THEM OF SCHOOL-AGE, BUT MANY OF THEM ARE EVEN INFANTS... THEY INCLUDE ALMOST A MILLION OLD PEOPLE, MANY OF WHOM ARE ILL. ae AND A MILLION AND A HALF ARE YOUNG WOMEN, MANY OF THEM PREGNANT. 12 BUT LET’S NOT BE HYPNOTIZED BY THESE LARGE NUMBERS. LET US REMEMBER, PLEASE, THAT THEY BECOME VICTIMS...ONE AT A TIME, NOW, SOME PEOPLE WOULD EMPHASIZE THAT THESE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ABSORB MANY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE AND LONG-TERM PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE. AND THAT, OF COURSE, IS ALL TOO TRUE. OTHERS WOULD ADD THAT THE PERPETRATORS OF VIOLENCE ALSO CONSUME ADDITIONAL BILLIONS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS EXPENDED ON LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE COURTS, AND THAT'S TRUE, 100, 13 BUT THAT’S ALL I’M GOING TO SAY ABOUT THE HIGH COST OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THE FULL GRAVITY OF THIS PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE CAN NEVER BE ADEQUATELY EXPRESSED IN DOLLARS AND CENTS, AND TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, I HOPE WE AMERICANS NEVER REACH THE POINT WHERE WE LOOK TO OUR WALLETS AND POCKETBOOKS TO HELP US TAKE THE TRUE MEASURE OF HUMAN SUFFERING, PAIN. AND INDIGNITY. SO, IF WE DO NOTHING ELSE AT THIS REGIONAL CONFERENCE, LET US AT LEAST SEND A MESSAGE ACROSS AMERICA THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO REDUCING AND ELIMINATING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN ORDER TO SAVE LIVES., WHETHER OR NOT THAT MEANS WE SAVE DOLLARS, 100, 14 OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO I’VE ALSO HEARD AND READ A NUMBER OF PERSUASIVE ARGUMENTS THAT THESE RISING LEVELS OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE CAN TEAR A COMMUNITY APART. THEREFORE. IF WE COULD REDUCE THE LEVEL OF VIOLENCE IN OUR NATION, WE WOULD -- AT THE SAME TIME -- BE PROTECTING AND PRESERVING THE VERY FABRIC OF OUR SOCIETY, AND I AM PERSUADED THAT THAT ALSO IS TRUE. IT IS CLEARLY TRUE IN COMMUNITIES SUCH AS DETROIT AND MIAMI AND LOS ANGELES... COMMUNITIES WHOSE SOCIAL HEALTH IS UNQUESTION- ABLY PUT AT HIGH RISK BECAUSE OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE IN THEIR HOMES...IN THEIR SCHOOLS...AND ON THEIR STREETS, 15 BUT WE NEED TO BE ASSURED THAT EACH COMMUNITY IS PREPARED TO SAVE THE LIFE OF ANY ONE OF ITS MEMBERS -- EVEN THE MOST VULNER- ABLE AND HUMBLE OR DISLIKED OF ITS MEMBERS -- BEFORE WE CAN SAY THAT SUCH A COMMUNITY IS...JTSELF...WORTH SAVING, THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS THAT HAVE BEEN IN MY MIND OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND THEY’RE AT THE HEART OF THE MESSAGE I WANT TO BRING TO YOU THIS EVENING, HERE IN SEATTLE. I HOPE MY MESSAGE DOES NOT SOUND SIMPLE,..BECAUSE IT ISN’T, VIOLENCE ITSELF IS HARDLY A SIMPLE MATTER, 16 IT’S ONE THING TO SAY, “YES, I WANT TO HELP REDUCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SAVE LIVES.” BUT IT’S QUITE ANOTHER THING TO SAY, ”...AND THIS IS HOW I’LL DO IT.” I DID NOT COME HERE WITH A BRIEFCASE FULL OF SUGGESTIONS. QUITE THE CONTRARY, I EXPECT YOU WILL COME UP WITH SOME OF THE ANSWERS WE NEED -- BOTH REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY -- DURING YOUR DELIBERATIONS HERE TONIGHT, TOMORROW, AND FRIDAY. T WOULD GUESS, HOWEVER, THAT YOUR RESPONSES WILL CLUSTER TOGETHER UNDER SEVERAL BROAD HEADINGS. 17 1‘D SUSPECT THAT ONE SUCH HEADING WOULD BE “PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND EDUCATION.” THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE, BECAUSE WE NEED TO SENSITIZE OUR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE NOW ON-THE-JOB 10 THIS PHENOMENON OF INTEPRERSONAL VIOLENCE, AND WE ALSO NEED TO GET THAT INFORMATION INTO THE CURRICU- LUMS OF ALL OUR PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS. THERE'S NOT A MEDICAL SCHOOL OR A NURSING SCHOOL ANYWHERE IN THIS COUNTRY THAT CAN AFFORD TO GRADUATE EVEN ONE STUDENT WHO IS UNABLE OR -~ WORSE -- UNWILLING TO RECOGNIZE A CHILD WHO HAS BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED OR AN EXPECTANT MOTHER WHO HAS BEEN PHYSICALLY ABUSED, 18 SO WE NEED TO BRING OUR MESSAGE TO ALL OUR COLLEAGUES IN HEALTH CARE AND HEALTH-RELATED SOCIAL SERVICES, A SECOND GENERAL HEADING MIGHT SAY "SERVICES TO VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES.” AND LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT OUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT IN THIS CATEGORY AND THAT IT’S TRULY THE VICTIM WE’RE CONCERNED ABOUT... AND NOT HOW OUR OWN AGENCY LOOKS IN THE PROCESS. HEALTH CARE IS A COMPLICATED MATTER. AND. TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I PROBABLY HELPED MAKE IT THAT WAY. DURING MY 36 YEARS IN PEDIATRIC SURGERY. 19 NOW, WHEN YOU TRY TO PUT HEALTH CARE INTO A COLLABORATIVE AND COOPERATIVE PARNTERSHIP WITH SOCIAL SERVICES AND LAW ENFORCE- MENT, YOU FURTHER COMPLICATE THE DELIVERY OF HEALTH CARE. THAT'S TRUE. BUT OUR POINT HAS TO BE THAT YOU ALSO MAKE HEALTH CARE MORE EFFECTIVE AND MORE RELEVANT TO VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE, AND WE’VE GOT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT A VICTIM OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE APPEARS ON OUR DOORSTEP AND ASKS FOR OUR HELP ON THE AVERAGE OF EVERY 8 SECONDS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 20 WHAT KIND OF HELP WILL WE OFFER THAT PERSON? THE KIND THAT PERPETUATES ALL THE OLD INSTITUTIONAL BARRIERS TO GOOD CARE? OR THE KIND THAT RESPONDS TO THE TOTAL NEEDS OF THE VICTIM AND HIS OR HER FAMILY? I HOPE IT IS THE SECOND KIND, AND NOT THE FIRST. AND FINALLY, LET ME SUGGEST ONE MORE HEADING. I KNOW THAT OTHERS WILL COME UP TOMORROW AND FRIDAY, BUT I’LL STOP WITH JUST THIS ONE: PUBLIC EDUCATION. IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO OVER-STATE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION. IF THE GENERAL PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHAT‘S AT STAKE FOR THEMSELVES -- THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS -- THEN THEY CAN BE YOUR ALLY. 21 CONVERSELY, IF THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND, THEY WON'T BECOME YOUR ALLIES. THEREFORE, MY BEST ADVICE ON THIS MATTER -- AND MY ONLY PIECE OF ADVICE TONIGHT -- IS THAT, FIRST, YOU MUST BE VERY CLEAR IN YOUR OWN MIND AS TO JUST WHAT IS AT STAKE IN THIS AREA OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE AND THEN YOU MUST TRANSMIT THIS IS AN EQUALLY CLEAR MANNER TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE, IT SOUNDS EASY...BUT IT’S NOT, AND 1 SAY THAT AS A SCARRED VETERAN OF ONLY ONE YEAR OF PUBLIC EDUCATION ON THE MATTER OF AIDS. 22 I RELEASED THE “SURGEON GENERAL’S REPORT ON AIDS” JUST 11 MONTHS AGO. I THOUGHT I HAD DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB GETTING ALL THE FACTS STRAIGHT AND PUTTING THEM INTO PLAIN ENGLISH, I STILL THINK SO. AND THE REPORT HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED BY THE MILLIONS. BUT IN THE MONTHS SINCE IT CAME OUT, AS I’VE GONE AROUND THE COUNTRY -- AND OVERSEAS, TOO -- TALKING ABOUT THE AIDS EPIDEMIC, I’VE FOUND MYSELF RETURNING AGAIN AND AGAIN TO A FEW CLEAR STATEMENTS ON WHAT IS REALLY AT STAKE HERE. 23 HONESTLY, IT’S NOT WHETHER CONDOMS WORK OR NOT, AND IT’S NOT WHETHER YOU TEACH CHILDREN THE CORRECT NAMES FOR THE GENITALIA IN THE 3rp GRADE OR THE 6TH GRADE. AND IT’S NOT WHETHER THE SINGLES’ BAR SHOULD GO THE WAY OF THE BATH-HOUSE. THAT ISN'T WHAT’S AT STAKE, WHAT WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT IS THAT THE EPIDEMIC OF AIDS WILL RADICALLY CHANGE -- AND POISON -- THE WAY AMERICANS HAVE ALWAYS RESPONDED TO ILLNESS AND DISEASE. 24 IT’S ALWAYS BEEN A GENEROUS AND COMPASSIONATE RESPONSE. IT’S NEVER BEEN A MEAN-SPIRITED, PINCH-PENNY, HATE-RIDDEN RESPONSE. BUT HERE’S A DISEASE THAT IS FATAL... THAT 1S STILL. FOR THE MOST PART, A MYSTERY TO SCIENCE...AND IT APPEARS AFTER PEOPLE DO THINGS THAT THEY OUGHT NOT TO DO. MANY AMERICANS ARE FRIGHTENED OF AIDS, AND WELL THEY SHOULD BE. AND THEY’RE PUZZLED AND CONFUSED... THEY ASK GOOD QUESTIONS, BUT SCIENCE AND MEDICINE CAN'T PROVIDE REALLY GOOD, FINAL ANSWERS. UNFORTUNATELY. IT’S A VERY SMALL JOURNEY FROM FEAR AND CONFUSION...TO ANGER...AND TO HATE. 25 OUR SOCIETY MUST NOT BECOME A HATEFUL, DANGEROUS PLACE T0 BE...FOR ANYONE. BUT RIGHT NOW, FOR PEOPLE WITH AIDS -- AND FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE PERCEIVED TO BE IN HIGH-RISK GROUPS FOR GETTING AIDS -- THAT’S WHAT IS AT STAKE, FOR CHILDREN LIKE THE THREE RAY BOYS... HEMOPHILIACS WITH AIDS... THE RIGHT TO GO TO SCHOOL IN PEACE WAS AT STAKE, AND THEN VIOLENCE ENTERED THE PICTURE, IN THE FORM OF BOB THREATS AND ARSON, AND LATELY WE’VE BEEN RECEIVING A GROWING NUMBER OF REPORTS OF ASSAULT AND EVEN HOMICIDE COMMITTED AGAINST HOMOSEXUALS BY PEOPLE WHO ACT OUT THEIR IRRATIONAL FEAR OF AIDS IN BFRUTAL DEEDS OF HATRED AND VIOLENCE. 26 AFTER 2 DECADES OF PROFOUND TRAUMA -- THE 60’S AND THE 70'S -- DURING WHICH OUR SOCIETY EMERGED WITH A STRENGTHENED BODY OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES, WE SAID THAT SUCH TRAUMA WOULD NEVER HAPPEN HERE AGAIN, BUT NOW WE‘RE NOT SO SURE, AS WE NERVOUSLY SEE THE SIGNS OF AN INCREASE IN HOMOPHOBIC VIOLENCE. AND NOW WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE THE IMPACT OF THE AIDS EPIDEMIC UPON YOUNG BLACK AND HISPANIC MEN, WHO ARE A DISPROPORTIONATELY LARGE PART OF THE AIDS CASE-LOAD, I CERTAINLY HOPE, AS OUR FELLOW-CITIZENS REALIZE THIS FACT, THAT THAT THEY WILL REMAIN COLOR-BLIND IN THEIR REACTION. 1 WOULD SUBMIT THAT. WHAT WE ARE REALLY TALKING ABOUT AT THIS CONFERENCE IS THE RIGHT OF EVERY MAN, WOMAN, AND CHILD IN AMERICA TO LIVE WITHOUT THE FEAR OF BEING PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY. OR EMOTIONALLY BRUTALIZED...OR KILLED...FOR WHATEVER REASON. 27 THAT'S WHAT IS AT STAKE,..AND THAT'S THE EDUCATIONAL MESSAGE WE MUST GET ACROSS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THEY NEED TO HEAR IT AND THEY NEED TO ABSORB IT. AND I’M CONFIDENT THAT, WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THEY WILL BE OUR ALLIES IN THE DAY-TO-DAY...HOUSE-TO-HOUSE...CAMPAIGN TO ELIMINATE VIOLENCE FROM OUR AMERICAN LIFE. WE NEED THEM. AND I BELIEVE THEY WILL WANT TO HELP IN EVERY WAY THEY CAN,..PERSONALLY, PROFESSIONALLY. FINANCIALLY. AND POLITICALLY. 28 ALL THESE THINGS THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS EVENING ARE EXPRESSED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER IN YOUR AGENDA THIS WEEK. I’M NOT REALLY TELLING YOU ANYTHING YOU DON’T ALREADY KNOW, AND MAYBE THE SUM TOTAL OF MY PRESENTATION TONIGHT IS MY ASSURANCE TO YOU THAT I DO KNOW HOW SERIOUS YOUR TASK 1S... THAT I UNDERSTAND...AND THAT I WANT TO HELP. 100. IT’S TERRIBLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU SUCCEED IN WHAT YOU‘RE DOING. IF YOU DO. THEN FEWER WOMEN, CHILDREN. AND OLD PEOPLE WILL BE BRUTALIZED AND VICTIMIZED BY VIOLENCE, AND FEWER WILL BE KILLED. 29 BUT OF THOSE WHO DO BECOME VICTIMS, MANY MORE WILL RECEIVE BETTER CARE BOTH FOR THEMSELVES AND FOR THEIR FAMILIES. YOU MUST REALIZE THAT. BY SUBSCRIBING TO THE HOPES OF THIS REGIONAL CONFERENCE, YOU'VE SET OUT A VERY AMBITIOUS GOAL FOR YOURSELVES AND FOR YOUR RESPECTIVE ORGANIZATIONS, WHETHER IN HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, EDUCATION. OR OTHER HUMAN SERVICE, BUT TO SETTLE FOR ANYTHING LESS WOULD BE A BETRAYAL... 30 A BETRAYAL OF OUR OWN PROFESSIONAL ETHICS ... A BETRAYAL OF OUR PERSONAL SENSE OF COMPASSION AND FAIR PLAY... AND A BETRAYAL OF OUR AMERICAN TRADITION OF DEALING WITH THE HUMAN NEEDS OF MASSES OF PEOPLE...QNE PERSON AT A TIME. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THIS CONFERENCE, 31 THANK YOU, ALSO, FOR INVITING ME TO BE YOUR GUEST SPEAKER THIS EVENING, AND BEST WISHES FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS IMPORTANT REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE, HH # #