HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRO-2017-002 Proclamation proclaiming the month of April 2017 "Sexual Assault Awareness Month" PR ��
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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS y
Proclamation
"Sexual Assault Awareness Month 201T'
WHEREAS, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center assisted over 500 survivors of sexual
violence,their loved ones,and community professionals during 2016;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
prevention,reaching over 15,000 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
WHEREAS, 1 in 5 American women have been sexually assaulted 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 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
Prevention,2010);and
WHEREAS, there are more than 16,500 sex offenders registered as living in North Carolina
(Department of Justice,2015)
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 nonprofit 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 2017 as "SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS
MONTH" and encourage all residents to speak out against sexual violence and to support their
local community's efforts to prevent and respond to these appalling crimes.
This the 4th day of April, 2017.
Mark Dorosin,Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners