Dallas, TX– Dallas Cowboys Tight End Jason Witten is unveiling a brand new Public Service Announcement for Domestic Violence Awareness Month to encourage other men to be role models and stand up against abuse.
The PSA, which was produced and distributed as a partnership between Jason Witten’s SCORE Foundation, the Allstate Foundation and the Texas Council on Family Violence, focuses on the role of men as advocates against domestic violence.
“I am very proud to partner with the Allstate Foundation and the Texas Council on Family Violence to fight abuse,” said Witten, whose SCORE Foundation has taken an active role against DV since its inception in 2007. “This is a cause that is very important to my wife Michelle and I, and I want to encourage other men to stand up and be activists in this fight.”
For the past four years, the Allstate Foundation has provided a $100,000 grant to Jason Witten’s SCORE Foundation to fund male mentors to serve on staff at family shelters across the state. The program, known as Jason Witten’s SCOREkeepers, focuses on providing women and children from abusive homes with a positive male figure in efforts to break the cycle of violence.
“Domestic violence impacts million, but few people want to talk about it,” said Gloria A. Terry, President of the Texas Council on Family Violence. “Last year in Texas, 142 women were killed by an intimate partner and that startling number is up from 111 women who were killed in domestic violence incidents in 2009. Jason Witten is a true advocate and his passionate leadership plays an important role in encouraging husbands and fathers to set healthy, respectful examples for the young people in their lives.”
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) collects data on family violence in Texas. In 2009, 196,713 incidents of family violence were reported to police.
About The Allstate Foundation
Established in 1952, The Allstate Foundation is an independent, charitable organization made possible by subsidiaries of The Allstate Corporation. The Allstate Foundation partners with non-profit organizations on community initiatives that promote “safe and vital communities,” “tolerance, inclusion, and diversity” and “economic empowerment.” Teen driving and empowering survivors of domestic violence have been major initiatives for the Foundation since 2005. For more information on The Allstate Foundation work to end domestic violence, please visit www.ClicktoEmpower.org.
About the Texas Council on Family Violence
The Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV), formed in 1978, is one of the largest domestic violence coalitions in the nation. TCFV promotes safe and healthy relationships by supporting service providers, facilitating strategic prevention efforts, and creating opportunities for freedom from domestic violence. Their website is: www.tcfv.org.