[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 36 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. J. RES. 36

Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to raising awareness 
 and encouraging prevention of sexual assault in the United States and 
 supporting the goals and ideals of National Sexual Assault Awareness 
                         and Prevention Month.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 11, 2003

 Mr. Green of Wisconsin (for himself and Mrs. Maloney) introduced the 
following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to raising awareness 
 and encouraging prevention of sexual assault in the United States and 
 supporting the goals and ideals of National Sexual Assault Awareness 
                         and Prevention Month.

Whereas every 2 minutes another person in the United States is sexually 
        assaulted;
Whereas the Department of Justice reports that 248,000 people in the United 
        States were sexually assaulted in 2001;
Whereas 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men have been victims of rape or attempted 
        rape;
Whereas children and young adults are most at risk, insofar as 44 percent of 
        victims are under the age of 18, and 80 percent are under the age of 30;
Whereas sexual assault affects women, men, and children of all racial, social, 
        religious, age, ethnic, and economic groups in the United States;
Whereas less than 40 percent of victims pursue prosecution by reporting their 
        attack to law enforcement agencies;
Whereas \2/3\ of sexual crimes are committed by someone who is not a stranger to 
        the victim;
Whereas the number of sexual assaults has fallen by \1/2\ in the last decade;
Whereas because of recent advances in DNA technology, law enforcement agencies 
        have the potential to identify the rapist in tens of thousands of 
        unsolved cases;
Whereas aggressive prosecution can incarcerate rapists and therefore prevent 
        them from committing further crimes;
Whereas sexual assault victims suffer emotional scars long after the physical 
        scars have healed; and
Whereas free, confidential help is available to all victims of sexual assault 
        through the National Sexual Assault Hotline, more than 1,000 rape crisis 
        centers across the United States, and other organizations providing 
        services to assist victims of sexual assault: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That --
            (1) it is the sense of the Congress that--
                    (A) National Sexual Assault Awareness and 
                Prevention Month provides a special opportunity to 
                educate the people of the United States about sexual 
                violence and to encourage both the prevention of sexual 
                assault and the prosecution of its perpetrators;
                    (B) it is appropriate to salute the more than 
                20,000,000 victims who have survived sexual assault in 
                the United States and the efforts of victims, 
                volunteers, and professionals who combat sexual 
                assault;
                    (C) national and community organizations and 
                private sector supporters should be recognized and 
                applauded for their work in promoting awareness about 
                sexual assault, providing information and treatment to 
                its victims, and encouraging the increased prosecution 
                and punishment of its perpetrators;
                    (D) police, forensic workers, and prosecutors 
                should be recognized and applauded for their hard work 
                and innovative strategies to increase the percentage of 
                sexual assault cases that resolve in the prosecution 
                and incarceration of the offenders; and
                    (E) national and community organizations, 
                businesses in the private sector, and the media are 
                urged, through National Sexual Assault Awareness and 
                Prevention Month, to promote awareness of sexual 
                violence and strategies to decrease the incidence of 
                sexual assault; and
            (2) the Congress supports the goals and ideals of National 
        Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.
                                 <all>