Gainesville meeting celebrates successes, high hopes for future in combating domestic violence

GAINESVILLE - The 10th annual Domestic Violence Breakfast and Briefing was held Tuesday at the Gainesville Police Department and featured special guest speaker, Holly Tuchman, chair of the Georgia Commission on Family Violence. <br /> <br /> The theme for this year's Breakfast and Briefing was "Celebrating Successes and Planning for the Future." <br /> <br /> Tuchman presented recent updates from the Georgia Commission on Family Violence and legislation involving domestic violence and abuse. In addition, Oakwood Police Officer Todd Templeton was honored and recognized as Domestic Violence Officer of the Year. <br /> <br /> "I am grateful for the turnout at this event and the community's support in raising awareness and putting an end to domestic violence in not only Hall County, but Georgia as a whole," said Ledford.<br /> <br /> One of the many updates that Tuchman touched on was the recent passage of House Bill 911, which adds language to the existing aggravated assault statute that deems strangulation a felony offense. Georgia is the 38th state in the nation to adopt legislation similar to HB 911. She further celebrated the state's progress noting that there are currently 40 domestic violence task forces across Georgia. <br /> <br /> Tuchman cited major tools for raising awareness about domestic violence, including the state's recently completed fatality review. <br /> <br /> "If anything good can come out of an experience as horrific as domestic violence, it's that through resources like the fatality review and House Bill 911, we are able to find a better way to respond and prevent domestic violence from happening again," she added. <br /> <br /> In reference to future plans to put a stop to domestic violence, Tuchman noted that additional funding has been requested this year through legislation to support job-related education and health care issues, among other things. She also encouraged attendees to reach out to local and state legislatures to raise awareness and gain support for the cause. <br /> <br /> "My staff and I have the opportunity every day to witness both the incredible strength and the immense pain that victims of domestic violence experience. It's overwhelming to think about just how much our community has done and continues to do to prevent and help end domestic violence in our county," said Jessica Butler, executive director of Gateway Domestic Violence Center. <br /> <br /> This year's annual Domestic Violence Breakfast and Briefing was hosted by the Hall County Domestic Violence Task Force.