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PRINTER'S NO. 596
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
80
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY TARTAGLIONE, FONTANA, PHILLIPS-HILL, MUTH,
BREWSTER, DINNIMAN, MARTIN, FARNESE, SANTARSIERO, COLLETT,
K. WARD, J. WARD, FOLMER, SABATINA, BROWNE, SCHWANK, KILLION
AND HUGHES, APRIL 9, 2019
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, APRIL 9, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Designating the month of April 2019 as "Sexual Assault Awareness
Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Widespread public awareness is the first step in
addressing sexual assault and its prevention; and
WHEREAS, According to the National Sexual Violence Resource
Center, one in five women and one in seventy-one men will be
raped at some point in their lives; and
WHEREAS, Of those, nearly 80% of women were raped before 25
years of age, with 40% experiencing their first rape between the
ages of 11 and 17, and 28% of men were first raped before their
10th birthday; and
WHEREAS, Forty-four percent of women and 23% of men
experienced other forms of sexual violence during their lives,
including sexual coercion, unwanted sexual contact and other
noncontact sexual experiences; and
WHEREAS, Most victims of sexual assault are acquainted with
their assailants; and
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WHEREAS, Young people experience heightened rates of sexual
violence; and
WHEREAS, One in four girls and one in six boys will be
sexually abused before reaching 18 years of age; and
WHEREAS, Being the victim of child sexual abuse doubles the
likelihood of adult sexual victimization; and
WHEREAS, Sexual assault is a significant problem; and
WHEREAS, One in five women and one in sixteen men are
sexually assaulted during their time in college; and
WHEREAS, Sexual assault can have lasting, harmful effects on
survivors and their loved ones in our communities; and
WHEREAS, To preserve the safety and welfare of our fellow
citizens, we must confront harmful attitudes and actions; and
WHEREAS, To help the individual and social progress of our
fellow citizens, we must support survivors of sexual assault in
times of crisis and throughout their recovery; and
WHEREAS, To generate a comprehensive response to sexual
violence, we must highlight sexual assault prevention
initiatives, bolster criminal justice programs and commit to
breaking cycles of violence and reducing crime rates in our
communities; and
WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR) and a
network of 50 rape crisis centers partner with community members
to prevent sexual violence throughout this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention to operate the National Sexual Violence Resource
Center, PCAR develops and provides evidence-based prevention
programs, based on the principles of effective prevention; and
WHEREAS, The strategies are critical to the health of our
major social systems, such as schools, child care agencies,
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workplaces, athletics, health care, legal systems and others to
move upstream and stop sexual violence before it occurs; and
WHEREAS, The 2019 Sexual Assault Awareness Month campaign is
focusing on resources related to consent; and
WHEREAS, The campaign theme for 2019, "I Ask," champions the
message that asking for consent is a healthy, normal and
necessary part of everyday interactions; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the month of April 2019
as "Sexual Assault Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.
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