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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> Proclamation <br /> "Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2008" <br /> WHEREAS, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center assisted 344 survivors of <br /> sexual violence and their family members, friends and loved ones during 2007; <br /> and <br /> WHEREAS, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center works with the County's two <br /> school systems and other groups to provide all students with age-appropriate <br /> information about sexual assault prevention, reaching 9,911 children and youth <br /> during the 2006 — 2007 school year; and <br /> WHEREAS, the coordination of the Orange County Sexual Assault Response <br /> Team (SART) is bringing together members of law enforcement, the medical <br /> community, the legal system and other community advocates to improve services <br /> for survivors of sexual assault who come forward; and <br /> WHEREAS, 1 in 5 North Carolina women have been sexually assaulted at some <br /> point in 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, <br /> totaling $127 billion a year considering factors such as medical cost, lost <br /> earnings, pain, suffering and lost quality of life (U.S. Department of Justice, <br /> 1996); and <br /> WHEREAS, in the United States, 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men have <br /> experienced a completed or attempted rape at some time in their life (US <br /> Department of Justice, 1998); and <br /> WHEREAS, there are 5,915 sex offenders and sexual predators registered as <br /> living in North Carolina (State Bureau of Investigation, 2002); and <br /> WHEREAS, the blaming of the victim continues to be an enormous problem in <br /> instances of rape and sexual assault; and <br /> WHEREAS, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center, a non-profit, volunteer <br /> agency which has been serving this community since 1974, is working with <br /> others in the community to stop sexual violence and its impact through support, <br /> education and advocacy; <br /> NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of <br /> Commissioners does hereby proclaim the month of April 2008 as "SEXUAL <br /> ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH" and encourages all residents to speak out <br /> against sexual violence and to support their al commeefforts prevent <br /> a nd respond to these appalling crimes. <br /> This the 18th day of March 204. <br /> Barry Jacobs, Chair <br /> Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />