May 7, 2002

WOMEN’S COMMISSION LAUNCHES
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN

Charlotte, NC – Love is blind… and too often has a mean left hook.  That is the message the Mecklenburg County Women’s Commission is hoping to spread with a new education and awareness campaign.  The campaign includes billboards placed in various Mecklenburg County neighborhoods and exhibits at health fairs, festivals and other public events throughout the summer.   

The goal of the Women’s Commission is to spread the word that help is a telephone call away.  Any Mecklenburg County citizen who feels that he or she is a victim of domestic violence is urged to call 704-336-3210.    

Last year, Mecklenburg County’s 911 center received 33,000 calls related to domestic violence.  Many more cases are believed to be unreported and undocumented because battered victims are afraid to call law enforcement.  That is why the Women’s Commission wants battered women, children and men to know they have an alternative.  The education campaign is funded through a grant from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. 

The Mecklenburg County Women’s Commission is a multi-service resource and counseling center.  It acts as an umbrella agency for domestic violence programs in Mecklenburg County. Counselors and staff work to promote the growth, well being, and productiveness of women in Mecklenburg County through a variety of counseling, educational, informational, and vocational programs.  The Women’s Commission is located at 700 North Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC, 28202.