HomeMy WebLinkAboutProclamation - Sexual Assault Awareness MonthORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Proclamation
"Sexual Assault Awareness Month Proclamation"
APRIL 2006
WHEREAS, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center assisted 434 survivors of sexual violence
and their family members, friends and loved ones during the 2004 - 2005 fiscal year; and
WHEREAS, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center works with the county's two school
systems to provide all students with age-appropriate information about sexual assault
prevention, reaching 9,007 children and youth during the 2004 - 2005 school year; and
WHEREAS, the coordination of the Orange County Sexual Assault Response Team (BART) is
bringing together law enforcement, the medical community, the legal system and other
community advocates to improve services for survivors of sexual assault; and
WHEREAS, 1 in 5 North Carolina women have been sexually assaulted at some point in
their lives (NC Department of Health and Human Services 1999); and
WHEREAS, in the United States rape is the most costly crime to its survivors, totaling $127
billion a year considering factors such as medical cost, lost earnings, pain, suffering and
lost quality of life (U.S. Department of Justice, 1996); and
WHEREAS, in the United States 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men have experienced a
completed or attempted rape at some time in their life (US Department of Justice 1998);
and
WHEREAS, persons with disabilities in North Carolina experience sexual assault at a rate 4
times higher than persons without disabilities (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System,
2000-2001) ; a n d
WHEREAS, there are 5,915 sex offenders and. sexual predators registered as living in North
Carolina (State Bureau of Investigation, 2002); and
WHEREAS, the blaming of the victim continues to be an enormous problem in instances of
rape and sexual assault; and
WHEREAS, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center, anon-profit, volunteer agency which
has been serving this community since 1974, is working with others in the community to
stop sexual violence and its impact through support, education and advocacy;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners does
hereby proclaim the month of April 2006 as "SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH, "and
encourages all citizens to speak out against sexual violence and to support their local
communities' efforts to prevent and respond to these appalling crimes.
This the 10"' day of Aprii 2006
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Barry Jacob s, Chair