HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 4-a - Sexual Assault Awareness Month Proclamation 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: April 2, 2019
Action Agenda
Item No. 4-a
SUBJECT: Sexual Assault Awareness Month Proclamation
DEPARTMENT: Board of Commissioners
ATTACHMENT (S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Proclamation Donna Baker, 245-2130
Rachel Valentine, Rape Crisis Center, 919-
968-4647
PURPOSE: To approve 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 700
survivors of sexual violence, their loved ones, and community professionals during 2018.
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 2019 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.
SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Social Justice Goal is applicable to this agenda
item:
• GOAL: CREATE A SAFE COMMUNITY
The reduction of risks from vehicle/traffic accidents, childhood and senior injuries, gang
activity, substance abuse and domestic violence.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the
proclamation designating April 2019 as "Sexual Assault Awareness Month" in Orange County
and authorize the Chair to sign the proclamation.
2
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Proclamation
"Sexual Assault Awareness Month"
WHEREAS, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center assisted over 700 survivors of sexual
violence,their loved ones,and community professionals during 2018;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 17,500 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 18,000 sex offenders registered as living in North Carolina (NC
State Bureau of Investigation, 2019);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 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 2019 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 2nd day of April 2019.
Penny Rich,Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners