HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 03-22-2012 - 4b 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: March 22, 2012
Action Agenda
Item No. � ,
SUBJECT: Sexual Assault Awareness Month Proclamation
DEPARTMENT: Board of Commissioners PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT (S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Proclamation Donna Baker, 245-2130
Shamecca Bryant, Executive Director,
Orange County Rape Crisis Center,
968-4647
PURPOSE: To consider a proclamation recognizing April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month
in Orange County.
BACKGROUND: The Orange County Rape Crisis Center, a non-profit, volunteer agency which
has been serving the community since 1974 is working with others in the community to stop
sexual violence and its impact through support, 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 458 survivors
of sexual violence and their family members, friends and loved ones during 2011.
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 2012 as "Sexual Assault Awareness
Month" in Orange County, to 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 Chair to sign.
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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Proclamation
"Se�ual Assault Awareness Month"
April 2012
WHEREAS, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center assisted 458 survivors of sexual violence
and their loved ones during 2011;and
WHEREAS, the Orange Counry Rape Crisis Center works with the county's two school
systems and other groups to provide students with age-appropriate information about violence
prevention,reaching 10,607 youth and adults during the 2010-2011 school year;and
WHEREAS, the coordination of the Orange County Se�al 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 S American women have been raped at some point in their lives (Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 2010);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 2 women and 1 in 5 men have e�perienced some form of
se�al violence in their lives (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010); and
WHEREAS,there are 17,315 sex offenders registered as living in North Carolina (Department of
Justice,2012); and
WHEREAS, victim-blaming continues to be an enormous problem in instances of rape and
sexual assault;and
WHEREAS, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center, a non-profit agency that has served this
community since 1974, is working to stop sexual violence and its impact through support,
education,and advocacy;
NOW,THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we,the Orange County Board of Commissioners,
do hereby proclaim the month of April 2012 as "SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS
MONTH" and encourage all residents to speak out against se�ual violence and to support their
local communities'efforts to prevent and respond to these appalling crimes.
This the 22nd day of March 2012.
Bernadette Pelissier,Chair
Orange Counry Board of Commissioners