00Enrolled SCR 20                                                                                                         
01 Proclaiming April 2014 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.                                                               
02                                         _______________                                                                 
03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                             
04      WHEREAS sexual assault affects women, children, and men of all racial, cultural,                                 
05 and economic backgrounds and occurs through acquaintance rape, stranger rape, sexual                                    
06 assault by a partner, child sexual abuse, incest, sexual harassment, prostitution, and                                  
07 pornography; and                                                                                                        
08      WHEREAS it is estimated that one in three women, one in four girls, one in six boys,                             
09 and one in 11 men will report being victims of sexual violence; and                                                     
10      WHEREAS the crime of sexual assault violates an individual's privacy, dignity,                                   
11 security, and humanity and leaves lasting physical and emotional scars that can influence                               
12 every aspect of an individual's life; and                                                                               
13      WHEREAS results from the Alaska Victimization Survey show an estimated 37 out                                    
14 of every 100 women in the state have experienced sexual assault in their lifetime, and it is                            
15 important that sexual assault be recognized as a problem of epidemic proportions in every                               
16 community in the state, whether urban, rural, or remote; and                                                            
17      WHEREAS results from the Alaska Fourth R pilot program show 30 percent of                                        

01 female youths and 16 percent of male youths in the state reported lifetime sexual violence;                             
02 and                                                                                                                     
03      WHEREAS over 1,650 children were evaluated by child advocacy centers last year;                                  
04 and                                                                                                                     
05      WHEREAS it is important to recognize the compassion, commitment, and dedication                                  
06 of the individuals who provide services to sexual assault survivors and who work to increase                            
07 public understanding of the crime of sexual assault; and                                                                
08      WHEREAS speaking out against sexual assault is an important first step toward                                    
09 eliminating that devastating crime; and                                                                                 
10      WHEREAS research indicates the need to develop comprehensive sexual violence                                     
11 prevention programs that target multiple, interacting risk and protective factors in                                    
12 comprehensive and behaviorally relevant ways; and                                                                       
13      WHEREAS, because one person, organization, agency, or community cannot                                           
14 eliminate sexual violence alone, citizens of the state need to work together to educate the                             
15 entire population of the state about what can be done personally to eliminate sexual assault, to                        
16 support victims, survivors, and their families, and to increase support for agencies that                               
17 provide services to survivors; by uniting in this effort, citizens of the state can make a                              
18 difference;                                                                                                             
19      BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature proclaims April 2014 to be                                      
20 Sexual Assault Awareness Month and encourages citizens of the state to observe Sexual                                   
21 Assault Awareness Month by speaking out against sexual assault, listening to those who have                             
22 been harmed, and letting others know that sexual assault will not be tolerated.