HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-01-2014 - 4b 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: April 1, 2014
Action Agenda
Item No. 4-b
SUBJECT: Sexual Assault Awareness Month
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,
(919) 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 over 600
survivors of sexual violence, their loved ones, and community professionals during 2013.
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 2014 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.
2
ORAN GE COU N TY BOARD OF COM M I SS ON ERS
Proclamation
"Sexual Assault Awareness M ontV
WHEREAS, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center assisted over 600 survivors of sexual
violence,their loved ones,and community professionalsduri ng 2013;and
WHEREAS, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center works with the County's two school
systems and other groups to provide students with age-appropriate information about violence
pre/ention, reaching over 12,000 youth and adults each year;and
WHEREAS, 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;and
W HEREAS, 1 in 5 American women have been sexually assaulted at some point in their lives
(Centersfor Disease Control and Pre/ention,2010);and
W HEREAS, 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
W H EREAS, in the United States 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of
sexual or physical violence committed by an intimate partner (Centers for Disease Control and
Pre/ention,2010);and
WHEREAS, there are more than 15,000 sex offenders registered as living i n North Carolina
(Department of Justice,2014);and
WHEREAS, victim-blaming continues to be an enormous problem in instances of rape and
sexual assault;and
W HEREAS, 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,T EREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we,t he Orange Cou nty Board of Commissioners,
do hereby proclaim the month of April 2014 as "SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS
MONTH"and encourageall residents to speak out against sexual violence and to support their
local community's efforts topre/ent and respond to these appal I i ng crimes.
Thisthef day ofApril2014.
Barry Jacobs, Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners