Orange County NC Website
2 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> Proclamation <br /> "Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2010"' <br /> WHEREAS, the orange County Rape Crisis Center assisted 364 survivors of sexual violence <br /> and their family members, friends and loved ones during 2009: and <br /> WHEREAS, the orange County Rape Crisis Center works with the County's two school <br /> systems and other groups to provide all students with age-appropriate information about <br /> sexual assault prevention, reaching 8.817 youth and adults during the 2008-2009 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 5.190 sex offenders and sexual predators registered as living in North <br /> Carolina (State Bureau of Investigation, 2010) <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 the 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 we, the orange County Board of Commissioners, <br /> do hereby proclaim the month of April 2010 as "SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH"' <br /> and encourage 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 6th day of April 2010. <br /> Valerie P. Foushee. Chair <br /> Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />