Despite the cold, rainy weather, thousands flocked to Dallas City Hall to show their support for Mike Rawlings’ campaign against domestic violence. ((SMU/Marissa Budzynski))

Thousands crowded the plaza outside of Dallas City Hall Saturday morning for Mayor Mike Rawlings’ Rally Against Domestic Violence. The rally was part of Rawlings’ greater campaign to reduce the prevalence of domestic violence in the Dallas community.

Rawlings called on the men of Dallas to change their attitudes towards domestic violence.

“You can call a guy who hits a woman a lot of things, but you cannot call him a man,” Rawlings told the crowd.

Nearly 85 percent of victims of domestic violence are women. The Dallas Police Department alone receives approximately 13,000 calls for domestic violence each year. Even more cases go unreported, said Alyssa Greene, community coordinator for Genesis Women’s Shelter.

“A lot of women are suffering in silence because they don’t feel like they can speak out against it,” she said.

State Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, and state Rep. Jason Villalba, R-Dallas, joined together to tell rally attendees of the steps that the state government is taking to combat domestic violence.  Proposed legislation includes creating a registry of repeat abusers, as well as a “Three Strikes Act.” Those found guilty of domestic abuse at least three times will be guaranteed to spend time in jail.

“DV will no longer be tolerated in the Big D,” West said.

Many Dallas athletes also made appearances at the event. Football legends like Emmitt Smith and Roger Staubach, as well as current Dallas Cowboys Brandon Carr and Dez Bryant, took the stage to share their views on domestic violence. Rawlings joked that it was “amazing that the men of Dallas are this excited about something that’s not about sports.”

But it was serious business the sports figures were about.

“If you have any women in your family that you cherish, take a step back and think about how you’d feel if someone laid a hand on them,” Carr said.

Dallas has already been recognized by Congress for being one of the first cities in the country to take such a stand against domestic violence. Rawlings hopes that everyone, regardless of race or political affiliation, can work together to eliminate domestic violence in Dallas.

Many local churches sent groups to the rally, like these men from the Potter’s House. ((SMU/Marissa Budzynski))