A RESOLUTION

 

1Designating April 20, 2013, as "Take It All Back Day" in
2Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, Sexual violence and abuse can involve a range of
4unacceptable behaviors, including rape, incest, molestation,
5date and acquaintance rape, statutory rape, marital or partner
6rape, ritual abuse, adult and child sexual exploitation, forced
7prostitution, indecent sexual contact, sexual harassment,
8exhibitionism, pornography, Internet-based child sexual abuse,
9voyeurism and inappropriate touching; and

10WHEREAS, One in four girls and one in six boys will become a
11sexual assault victim by the age of 18 and 20% to 25% of college
12women will experience attempted or completed rape during
13college; and

14WHEREAS, Friends and acquaintances commit between 80% and 90%
15of the sexual assaults against women on college campuses; and

1WHEREAS, Adults commit most sexual abuse incidents against
2children, with adults comprising 77% of the perpetrators and
3juveniles making up 23%, and most child victims of sexual abuse
4know a perpetrator before an incident; and

5WHEREAS, In the United States, more than 800,000 adult women
6and 110,000 adult men yearly face the traumatic experience of
7rape while an unknown number survive other forms of sexual
8violence and abuse; and

9WHEREAS, Victims of sexual violence will more than likely
10experience long-term mental health consequences, including
11suicide and attempted suicide, eating disorders, substance
12abuse, promiscuity, low self-esteem, psychiatric
13hospitalizations and posttraumatic stress disorder; and

14WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has
15identified sexual violence as an urgent and costly public health
16crisis, and the American Medical Association has stated that
17sexual violence serves as a silent, violent epidemic that grows
18at alarming rates and traumatizes women, men and children of
19this nation; and

20WHEREAS, The Federal Bureau of Investigation and other law
21enforcement agencies nationwide indicate that sexual violence is
22the most underreported crime, with only an average of 31% of
23rape and sexual assault incidents being reported to the police;
24and

25WHEREAS, April serves as Sexual Assault Awareness Month,
26which is intended to draw attention to the fact that sexual
27violence is widespread and has public health implications for
28every resident in Pennsylvania; and

29WHEREAS, Residents throughout this Commonwealth can work
30together to prevent sexual assault and to support survivors; and

1WHEREAS, Groups such as WOAR, formerly known as Women
2Organized Against Rape, and the Pennsylvania Coalition Against
3Rape (PCAR) have a history of working to stop sexual violence
4and abuse; and

5WHEREAS, WOAR was organized in Philadelphia in 1971 and
6incorporated in 1973 as the first rape crisis center in
7Pennsylvania and the United States and has worked toward
8eliminating all forms of sexual violence and has advocated for
9the rights of victims of sexual assault and abuse through a
10comprehensive array of services for adult and child survivors of
11sexual assault, their family members and communities across
12Philadelphia; and

13WHEREAS, PCAR was formed in 1975 and works to eliminate all
14forms of sexual violence and to advocate for the rights and
15needs of victims of sexual assault by challenging public
16attitudes, raising public awareness and effecting critical
17changes in public policy, protocols and responses to sexual
18violence; and

19WHEREAS, PCAR and the National Sexual Violence Resource
20Center have officially observed April as National Sexual Assault
21Awareness Month since 2001 and continue to organize events for
22the observance and education of the public about the problems of
23sexual violence and abuse and the need for action to stop and
24prevent them; and

25WHEREAS, WOAR has celebrated its 40th anniversary since its
26incorporation and has equally raised its voice to inform and
27spur the public to action, including through the sponsorship of
28the Eighth Annual "Take It All Back" Community Walk along Market
29Street in Philadelphia on Saturday, April 20, 2013, starting at
3011:30 a.m. at Love Park and continuing with speakers and other

1activities until 3 p.m. at the Independence Visitor Center to
2raise awareness about sexual violence; therefore be it

3RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate
4April 20, 2013, as "Take It All Back Day" in Pennsylvania and
5urge all its members and all residents of this Commonwealth to
6join together with groups such as WOAR and PCAR in events such
7as the "Take It All Back" Community Walk and their efforts
8during National Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April and
9throughout the year to work on behalf of victims of sexual
10violence to educate individuals in preventing sexual violence
11and eliminate sexual crimes in our community; and be it further

12RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize WOAR
13and PCAR and other similar groups for their efforts to stop and
14prevent sexual violence and abuse in all forms and to assist the
15survivors of such incidents and honor both groups and others for
16events such as the "Take It All Back" Community Walk on
17April 20, 2013, that will educate and inform the public about
18such incidents and help support survivors of such incidents.