Members of Grammy’s House, Artesia’s domestic violence shelter, from left, Pat Wood, Celina Bryant and Valerie Bishop join Mayor Phil Burch as he proclaims the month of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Artesia. Domestic Violence Awareness Month began gaining traction in the mid-1980s when the first national domestic violence toll-free hotline was initiated. Domestic Violence Awareness Month has three main themes – mourning those who have died due to domestic violence, celebrating those who have survived, and connecting those who work to end violence. Burch asks the citizens of Artesia “to be aware and supportive of this vital program in our community.”
