PROCLAMATION: April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Sexual assault at its core, is a devastating abuse of power — one that affects people of every age, race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, socioeconomic background, and religion. It is the responsibility of each of us to stand up and speak out against it, not only to improve the laws and services available to survivors but also to change the culture and attitudes that allow sexual assault to proliferate.
Every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted, and every 9 minutes, that victim is a child. 9 out of every 10 victims of rape are female. 94% of women who are raped experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during the two weeks following and 30% of women report symptoms of PTSD 9 months after the rape. Out of every 100 rapes, 40 are reported, 10 lead to an arrest, 8 are prosecuted, 4 lead to a conviction, 3 rapists will spend a day in prison and 97 rapists will walk away free.
In the year of 2024, The Haven assisted 111 survivors of sexual violence, provided 46 survivors with legal and/or medical advocacy, conducted 190 therapy sessions to survivors of sexual assault, and facilitated 29 Sexual Assault Response Team meetings. Victims should have support to find the compassion, comfort, and healing they need, and sexual perpetrators should be punished to the full extent of the law. Important partnerships have been formed among criminal justice agencies, allied professionals, and victim services to assist victims of sexual violence and their families.
It is important to recognize the compassion and dedication of the individuals who provide services to victims of sexual violence and work to increase public awareness of sexual violence and its prevalence and to eliminate it through prevention and education. Our Parish has a moral obligation to work on the prevention of sexual assaults and the severe trauma it causes to those affected.
And lastly, that all citizens be urged to wear teal on every Tuesday during the month of April to show their support in the effort to end sexual violence, to speak out against sexual violence, and to support all local efforts to assist survivors of these crimes in finding the help and healing they deserve.
