PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1936
PRINTER'S NO. 2072
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
189
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, SANCHEZ, KINSEY, KHAN, McNEILL,
T. DAVIS, DONAHUE, SCHLOSSBERG, HILL-EVANS, HOWARD, SCOTT,
MADDEN, KAZEEM, CERRATO, SHUSTERMAN, GILLEN, CONKLIN, GREEN
AND GUENST, AUGUST 29, 2023
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED,
OCTOBER 2, 2023
A RESOLUTION
Designating the week of October 15 through 21, 2023, as
"Military Sexual Trauma Survivor Week" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, The United States Department of Defense's 2021
Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military revealed in
stark detail that sexual assault and sexual harassment remain
persistent and distressing problems in our military; and
WHEREAS, Service member sexual assault reports increased by
13% in 2021 compared to the 2020 report; and
WHEREAS, Shame and stigma create a barrier to reporting
sexual assault; and
WHEREAS, On average, only one out of every three sexual
assault survivors come forward to report the assault; and
WHEREAS, Even though women make up only 20% of the United
States Armed Forces members, they are the targets of 63% of
sexual assaults; and
WHEREAS, Sexual assault in the military is not only a woman's
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issue; and
WHEREAS, More than 100,000 men have been sexually assaulted
in the military in recent decades; and
WHEREAS, In today's military, rape culture is an epidemic and
military sexual assault survivors are often forgotten; and
SEXUAL ASSAULT AND MISCONDUCT PERSIST DESPITE ONGOING EFFORTS
WITHIN THE MILITARY TO STOP SEXUAL ASSAULTS, PUNISH PERPETRATORS
AND CARE FOR SURVIVORS; AND
WHEREAS, Prior to being assaulted, many military sexual
assault survivors had dreams of serving for 20 or more years in
the United States Armed Forces and were happy in their
workplace; and
WHEREAS, While some military sexual assault survivors may
choose to stay in the military, the psychological impact of the
assault and resulting trauma can push survivors out of the
service and lead to tremendous difficulty readjusting to their
civilian lives; and
WHEREAS, Survivors of military sexual assault often decide
not to report the assault for the reasons of embarrassment, fear
and shame and professional and personal implications; and
WHEREAS, The military's culture of duty, teamwork, strength
and accomplishment conflicts with military sexual assault
survivors' needs, resulting in them being stigmatized as weak or
failing their fellow service members; and
WHEREAS, The uniqueness of military life causes additional
anxiety to a sexual assault survivor and complicates the
survivor's life, which may result in lack of promotion or
removal from service; and
WHEREAS, The personal stories of survivors underscore the
need for meaningful change to provide healing to those affected
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by military sexual assault trauma through adequate medical and
mental health services; and
WHEREAS, To highlight the epidemic of sexual assault in the
United States Armed Forces, policymakers should initiate an
examination of military culture and military justice at the
Statewide level; and
WHEREAS, In this Commonwealth, the Department of Military and
Veterans Affairs, local veterans' centers and United States
Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers are able to offer
resources for military sexual assault survivors; and
WHEREAS, The House of Representatives must honor the
strength, resolve and perseverance of military sexual assault
survivors and work urgently to end sexual violence in the
military throughout this Commonwealth; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
week of October 15 through 21, 2023, as "Military Sexual Trauma
Survivor Week" in Pennsylvania.
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