HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-05-2011 - 4aORANGE COUNTY
BOARD of CoMMISSI4NERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date; April 5, 2011
Action Agenda
Item No.
SUBJECTS Sexual Assault Awareness Month Proclamation
DEPARTMENTS Board of Commissioners PUBLIC HEARING: ~Y1N} No
ATTACHMENT (S):
Proclamation
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Donna Baker, 245-2130
PURPOSE: To consider a proclamation recognizing April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month
in Grange County.
BACKGROUND: The Grange County Rape Crisis Center, anon-profit, volunteer agency which
has been serving the community since 19?4 is working with others in the community to stop
sexual violence and its impact through suppork, education and advocacy. Sexual assault is the
most costly crime to its victims considering factors such as medical cost, lost earnings, pain,
suffering and lost quality of life. The Orange County Rape Crisis Center assisted 3~9 survivors
of sexual violence and theirfamily members, friends and loved ones during 2010.
The coordination of the orange County Sexual Assault Response Team ~SART} is bringing
together members of law enforcement, the medical community, the legal system and other
community advocates to improve services for survivors of sexual assault who come forward.
The Board of Commissioners is asked to proclaim April 2011 as "Sexual Assault Awareness
Month" in orange County, tv encourage all residents to speak out against sexual assault, and to
support their local communities' efforts to provide services to victims of these appalling crimes.
The Board has approved similar resolutions in prior years.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with consideration of the
proclamation
RECOMMENDATION ~S}: The Manager recommends that the Board approve the
proclamation designating April as "Sexual Assault Awareness Month" in orange County and
authorize the Chairtosign.
2
ORANGE COUNTY BARD ~~ COMMISSIONERS
Proclamation
"Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2011"
WHEREAS, the grange County Rape Crisis Center assisted 379 survivors of sexual violence
and their family members, friends and loved ones during 201 ~, and
WHEREAS, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center works with the County's two school
systems and other groups to provide al! students with age-appropriate information about
sexual assault prevention, reaching 9,750 youth and adults during the 2009 - 2010 school
year; and
WHEREAS, the coordination of the grange County Sexual Assault Response Team ~SART} is
bringing together members of law enforcement, the medical community, the legal
system and other community advocates to improve services for survivors of sexual assault
who come forward; and
WHEREAS, 1 in 5 North Carolina women have been sexually assaulted at some point in
their fives (NC Department of Health and Human Services, l 999;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, 1995);
and
WHEREAS, there are 16,285 sex offenders registered as living in North Carolina (State
Bureau of Investigation, 2011 ~; and
WHEREAS, the blaming of the victim continues to be an enormous problem in instances of
rape and sexual assault; and
WHEREAS, the grange 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, THEREFQRE BE IT RESOLVED that we, the orange County Board of Commissioners,
do hereby proclaim the month of April 2011 as "SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH"
and encourage all residents to speak out against sexual violence and to support their
local communities' efforts to prevent and respond to these appalling crimes.
This the 5th day of April 2011.
Bernadette Pelissier, Chair
Qrange County Board of Commissioners