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WHEREAS, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, approximately 42.4 million women in the United States have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. The Coalition also reports that 142 women were killed by their intimate partners at their jobs between 2003 and 2008; and,
WHEREAS, founded in 2009, STANDING FIRM is a non-profit organization whose goal is to alert employers to financial, safety, and human costs of partner violence in the workplace and offer them the tools for taking effective organizational action; and,
WHEREAS, Lynette Lederman, a former Allegheny County Public Health Nurse, in her role as an Executive Assistant in a Pittsburgh City Council office, was the advocate behind the scenes who encouraged the City of Pittsburgh to join STANDING FIRM and to address partner violence in the workplace; and,
WHEREAS, Lynette Lederman, alongside leaders in Pittsburgh's advocacy community, played a pivotal role in passing a citywide Domestic Violence Policy in 2010, which addresses partner violence prevention through hiring and training practices, provides direction to supervisors for intervention when warning signs of domestic violence are evident, institutionalizes a structured response to reported incidents of domestic violence involving employees, and offers direction for conducting the subsequent administrative and/or criminal investigations; and,
WHEREAS, as a past president of the National Council of Jewish Women Pittsburgh Section (NCJW), Lynette Lederman also helped that agency take active positions regarding partner violence through community service and advocacy and encouraged the NCJW Pittsburgh Section to provide an organizational home for STANDING FIRM; and,
WHEREAS, Lynette Lederman was awarded the 2014 STANDING FIRM Champion Award, which recognizes individuals who have gone above and beyond in advocating for STANDING FIRM in its mission of engaging employers in integrating business practices which address partner violence and promote the safety of the workplace and the well-being of the workforce.
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby commend and congratulate Lynette Lederman for having received the 2014 STANDING FIRM Champion Award for her past successes and continued advocacy in preventing partner violence.