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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> Proclamation <br /> "Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2009 Proclamation" <br /> WHEREAS, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center assisted 377 survivors of sexual violence <br /> and their family members, friends and loved ones during 2008; and <br /> WHEREAS, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center works with the Cunty's two school <br /> systems and other groups to provide all students with age-appropriate information about <br /> sexual assault prevention, reaching 9,774 youth and adults during the 2007-2008 school <br /> year; and <br /> WHEREAS, the coordination of the Orange County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) is <br /> bringing together members of law enforcement, the medical community, the legal <br /> system and other community advocates to improve services for survivors of sexual assault <br /> who come forward; and <br /> WHEREAS, 1 in 5 North Carolina women have been sexually assaulted at some point in <br /> their lives (NC Department of Health and Human Services,1999); and <br /> WHEREAS, in the United States rape is the most costly crime to its survivors, totaling $127 <br /> billion a year considering factors such as medical cost, lost earnings, pain, suffering and <br /> lost quality of life (U.S. Department of Justice, 1996); and <br /> WHEREAS, in the United States 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men have experienced a <br /> completed or attempted rape at some time in their life (US Department of Justice 1998); <br /> and <br /> WHEREAS, there are 5,915 sex offenders and sexual predators registered as living in North <br /> Carolina (State Bureau of Investigation, 2002); and <br /> WHEREAS, the blaming of the victim continues to be an enormous problem in instances of <br /> rape and sexual assault; and <br /> WHEREAS, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center, a non-profit, volunteer agency which <br /> has been serving this community since 1974, is working with others in the community to <br /> stop sexual violence and its impact through support, education and advocacy; <br /> NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners do <br /> hereby proclaim the month of April 2009 as "SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH." The <br /> Board encourages all residents to speak out against sexual violence and to support their <br /> local communities' efforts to prevent and respond to these appalling crimes. <br /> This the 17th day of March 2009. <br /> Valerie Foushee, Chair <br /> Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />