Updated: Lt. Gov. Brown Receives Award from Anti-Violence Group

Updated 3 p.m. May 1—This story was updated with a photo of the event.

Maryland's Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown received the DeStefano Service Award Saturday morning for his efforts to combat domestic violence at the "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" event at (AACC).

The fundraiser walk is held to raise awareness of sexualized violence. The event is sponsored by the and AACC.

The following was included in the press release for the event:

In addition to the award presentation, the event program featured Jennifer Wheatley-Wolfe, author of One Voice Raised, A Triumph Over Rape, who recounted her experience testifying against the man who raped her 20 years after the crime was committed. David H. Cordle, Sr., the chief investigator on Wheatley-Wolfe's case, gave a detailed account of how the case, at one point thought to have gone cold, was eventually solved.

Each year, thousands of men, women and children across the country participate in "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" events, with many of the men wearing women’s shoes to emphasize their commitment to the cause. For more information visit www.walkamileinhershoes.org.

Combating domestic violence is a personal cause for Lt. Governor Brown.

In August 2008, his cousin Cathy Brown was senselessly murdered by her estranged boyfriend. Building on his experience as a legislator and the perspective provided by this tragedy, Lt. Governor Brown has championed reforms to combat domestic violence and help victims.

Brown led successful efforts in 2009 to improve domestic violence laws by giving judges the authority to take guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. In 2010, Brown worked with members of the General Assembly, domestic violence advocates and stakeholders to pass legislation allowing a victim of domestic abuse to terminate a residential lease with a copy of a final protective order.

During the 2012 legislative session, the Lt. Governor advocated for legislation enacted by the Maryland General Assembly to provide unemployment insurance benefits for individuals who must leave a job to escape domestic violence. Under the O’Malley-Brown Administration, domestic violence deaths in Maryland have dropped by 41 percent over the past three years.