LANE COUNTY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COUNCIL

In 1993, the Council was founded as part of a nation-wide movement. Over the history of the Council attendance has expanded. Currently, there are currently 46 voting members and over 100 non-voting members. The Council is a coalition of survivors, service providers, and agency staff. It was founded with the mission of creating a community forum for developing, implementing and assessing a coordinated response to domestic violence in Lane County. 

An Open Letter

(. . . from James E. Davis, Founder and Chair of "LOVE YOURSELF" Stop the Violence)

Dear Friends,

As the Founder and Chair of "LOVE YOURSELF" Stop the Violence, people often ask me "Why should I support your organization?" Well, the answer is very simple. If you care about the well-being and safety of yourself and your loved ones, you should support "LOVE YOURSELF" Stop the Violence. It's that simple.

Councilman JAMES E. DAVIS, (1962-2003) Rest in Peace

James E. Davis was born on April 3, 1962 to James and Thelma Davis. He spent his early childhood in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, then after a brief move to Long Island, his family returned to Brooklyn where they lived in Crown Heights.

As a young man growing up in Brooklyn, many influences shaped James' life. His father was a New York City Corrections Officer and his mother was a registered nurse. He was raised in the church and grew up in a rich, culturally diverse African-American, West Indian and Jewish community. In high school, James excelled in academics and sports. He earned his Bachelor's degree from Pace University, where he majored in Social Science and Youth Agency Administration. James is currently working on his Ph.D. in Sociology.

In 1983, an incident involving James and two New York City police officers left an indelible mark on James' life. One morning, he was in front of his house sitting in his mother's car. Suddenly, two white police officers approached, put guns to his head and accused him of stealing the car. While still pointing guns at his face, the officers dragged James from the car and repeatedly slammed his head and body against the car. Although his mother tried telling the officers they were making a terrible mistake, the officers ignored her pleas and continued their malicious attack. James was handcuffed behind his back and taken to the police station, where he was denied his freedom and held against his will. No charges were ever brought by the police. In addition to sustaining several bruises as a result of being beaten by the officers, James also suffered the humiliation of being falsely arrested and assaulted in front of his home, and in the presence of his neighbors.