HomeMy WebLinkAboutProclamation - BOCC - Sexual Assault Awareness Month 04-13-2004 - 6cORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Proclamation
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
April 2004
WHEREAS, 425 primary and secondary survivors of sexual violence sought
assistance from the Orange County Rape Crisis Center during 2003 (Orange
County Rape Crisis Center Annual Report); 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 victims
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 has experienced
a completed or attempted rape at sometime in their life (US Department of
Justice 1998); and
WHEREAS, in a recent survey, 97% of parents surveyed by the Kaiser Family
Foundation wanted sex education to include what their teen should do if raped
(Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation September 2000); and
WHEREAS, there are 5,915 sex offenders and sexual predators registered as
living in North Carolina (State Bureau of Investigation 2002); and
WHEREAS, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center, anon-profit, volunteer
agency which has been serving this community since 1974, is commemorating
30 years of working to stop sexual violence and its impact through support,
education and advocacy;
NOW THEREFORE do we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, hereby
proclaim the month of April 2004 as "SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS
MONTH" in Orange County and encourage all citizens to speak out against
sexual assault and support their local communities' efforts to provide services to
victims of this heinous crime.
This the 13th day of April 2004.
~~'~
Barry Jacobs, Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners