WHEREAS, sexual violence is defined as any unwanted sexual contact, both words and actions – including sexual assault, harassment, and abuse, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center; and
WHEREAS, Sexual Assault Awareness Month calls attention to the impact of sexual violence in communities across the state and nation, raising public awareness and educating communities on how to prevent it, as well as how to support survivors; and
WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetimes; nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 38 men have experienced rape or attempted rape during their lifetimes; and
WHEREAS, from July 2021 to June 2022, rape crisis centers funded by the North Carolina Department of Administration’s Council for Women and Youth Involvement provided remote or in-person services to 11,933 individuals, including 2,824 children under the age of 18, and responded to more than 27,000 hotline calls; and
WHEREAS, Governor Roy Cooper issued an executive directive in October 2019 to support survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, which permits state employees in cabinet agencies to use earned leave for “safe days” to escape and recover from violence; and
WHEREAS, people who are part of marginalized communities or hold marginalized identities often are at higher risk for experiencing sexual violence and have more limited access to services that will support meaningful pathways that lead to healing and justice; and
WHEREAS, the North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault and rape crisis advocates across the state remain committed to ending sexual violence in our communities by continuing to be allies in all anti-oppression movements, realizing that we cannot truly end sexual violence without also ending all forms of oppression; and
WHEREAS, despite the pandemic and the challenges faced by rape crisis centers nationwide, our voices have power and should be used to support survivors and end sexual violence; by working together to support survivors, we can ensure access to support services during and after the pandemic; teach our friends, family, and community members about consent and other prevention methods to stop sexual violence before it happens; and always choose to believe survivors;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim April, 2023, as “SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.