Park City Council to declare October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Park City Municipal Town Hall. Photo: TownLift // Meredith Kluever

PARK CITY, Utah — In today’s Park City Council meeting, members of the Council, along with Mayor Nann Worel, are expected to pass a resolution declaring October 2024 “Domestic Violence Awareness Month.”

The resolution will be adopted at this week’s City Council meeting on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

Peace House, a Park City nonprofit organization that provides shelter to domestic violence victims, sponsors the proclamation.

Peace House has operated in Summit and Wasatch Counties for 28 years, acting as a state-licensed facility offering victims of domestic violence a safe haven, as well as clinical therapy if needed.

In 2024, Peace House provided services to 203 Park City residents affected by domestic violence, including emergency shelter, transitional housing, therapy, case management, and legal advocacy.

The City Council aims to raise awareness of domestic violence in the community by designating this October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month while also increasing knowledge about the various services available to victims, including therapeutic, legal, educational, housing, advocacy, and medical support.

“Research shows that by creating communities where people are connected, supportive, and care for one another, there are fewer incidents of domestic violence,” the proclamation reads.

The Park City Police Department responded to 81 domestic violence and family fight reports in 2023.

The Council also states that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men are physically abused by an intimate partner in the proclamation, as well as 42% of adult homicides being related to domestic violence in the state of Utah.

“We ask that you ‘Be the Light’ in dark times for those individuals by highlighting their strength, hope and resiliency. Together, we can make a difference and ‘Spark Change’ in Park City and Summit County,” the proclamation finishes.