[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 60 (Tuesday, April 27, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H2914-H2917]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH
Ms. BALDWIN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 1259) recognizing and supporting the goals and
ideals of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1259
Whereas, on average, a person is sexually assaulted in the
United States every 2\1/2\ minutes;
Whereas the Department of Justice reports that 203,830
people in the United States were sexually assaulted in 2008;
Whereas 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men have been victims of
rape or attempted rape;
Whereas the Department of Defense received 2,908 reports of
sexual assault involving members of the Armed Forces in
fiscal year 2008, representing an eight percent increase from
fiscal 2007;
Whereas children and young adults are most at risk of
sexual assault, as 44 percent
[[Page H2915]]
of sexual assault 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, ability, and
economic groups in the United States;
Whereas women, children, and men suffer multiple types of
sexual violence, including but not limited to acquaintance,
stranger, spousal, and gang rape, incest, child sexual
molestation, forced prostitution, trafficking, forced
pornography, ritual abuse, sexual harassment, and stalking;
Whereas it is estimated that the percentage of completed or
attempt rape victimization among women in higher educational
institutions may be between 20 and 25 percent over the course
of a college career;
Whereas, in addition to the immediate physical and
emotional costs, sexual assault has associated consequences
that may include post-traumatic stress disorder, substance
abuse, major depression, homelessness, eating disorders, and
suicide, among others;
Whereas only 41 percent of sexual assault victims pursue
prosecution by reporting their attack to law enforcement
agencies;
Whereas two-thirds of sexual crimes are committed by
persons who are not strangers to the victims;
Whereas sexual assault survivors suffer emotional scars
long after the physical scars have healed;
Whereas, with recent advances in DNA technology, law
enforcement agencies have the potential to identify the
rapists in tens of thousands of unsolved rape cases;
Whereas aggressive prosecution can lead to the
incarceration of rapists and therefore prevent them from
committing further crimes;
Whereas national, State, territory, and tribal coalitions,
community-based rape crisis centers, and other organizations
across the Nation are committed to increasing public
awareness of sexual violence and its prevalence, and to
eliminating it through prevention and education;
Whereas important partnerships have been formed among
criminal and juvenile justice agencies, health professionals,
public health workers, educators, first responders, and
victim service providers;
Whereas free, confidential help is available to all
survivors of sexual assault through the National Sexual
Assault Hotline, more than 1,000 rape crisis centers across
the United States, and other organizations that provide
services to assist survivors of sexual assault;
Whereas, according to a 2010 survey of rape crisis centers
by the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, 72 percent
of programs have experienced a reduction in funding over the
past year, 56 percent have experienced a reduction in
staffing, 23 percent currently have a waiting list for
services, and funding and staffing cuts have resulted in an
overall 50 percent reduction in the provision of
institutional advocacy services;
Whereas individual and collective efforts reflect our dream
for a Nation where citizens and organizations actively work
to prevent all forms of sexual violence and no sexual assault
victim goes unserved or ever feels there is no path to
justice; and
Whereas April is recognized as ``National Sexual Assault
Awareness and Prevention Month'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That--
(1) it is the sense of the House of Representatives 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 the
prevention of sexual assault, the improved treatment of its
survivors, and the prosecution of its perpetrators;
(B) it is appropriate to properly acknowledge the more than
20 million men and women who have survived sexual assault in
the United States and salute the efforts of survivors,
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 survivors, and increasing
the number of successful prosecutions of its perpetrators;
and
(D) public safety, law enforcement, and health
professionals should be recognized and applauded for their
hard work and innovative strategies to increase the
percentage of sexual assault cases that result in the
prosecution and incarceration of the offenders;
(2) the House of Representatives strongly recommends
national and community organizations, businesses in the
private sector, colleges and universities, and the media to
promote, through National Sexual Assault Awareness and
Prevention Month, awareness of sexual violence and strategies
to decrease the incidence of sexual assault; and
(3) the House of Representatives supports the goals and
ideals of National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention
Month.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Wisconsin (Ms. Baldwin) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Wisconsin.
General Leave
Ms. BALDWIN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Wisconsin?
There was no objection.
{time} 1645
Ms. BALDWIN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, studies of the prevalence of crime and of
victimization show that one in six women and one in 33 men will be a
victim of rape or attempted rape in their lifetimes. On average, a
person is sexually assaulted in the United States every 2\1/2\ minutes.
In my home State of Wisconsin, we have learned that nearly 93 percent
of sexual assault survivors are violated by someone they know and
trust; tragically, oftentimes as youngsters before they have even
reached the age of 15.
Nationwide, we know that children and young adults are most at risk.
Forty-four percent of sexual assault victims are under the age of 18,
and 80 percent are under the age of 30. It is estimated that 20-25
percent of women attending college are raped or assaulted over the
course of their college career.
These statistics are staggering and unconscionable. Yet, as is often
the case, statistics alone can't adequately convey the urgency of a
future where no child, no woman, no man is ever sexually violated
again.
Last fall I got a chance to hear from a courageous woman from
Wisconsin who was sexually assaulted in 1993. I will call her Carrie,
although that is not her real name. Carrie was walking from her home to
meet her husband at a party in suburban Milwaukee. She was approached
by three strangers with guns. Madam Speaker, she was raped for 45
minutes while two guns were held against her. She thought about
screaming, but she was afraid she would be shot. After the assault,
Carrie said, I lay there and the first thought that came to my head
was: I wish they had killed me because this isn't going to go away.
Fifteen years later, the memories of the assault have not gone away.
But with incredible personal strength, Carrie has channeled the
horrendous experience of victimization and subsequent pain and fear
into an incredibly positive way. She has dedicated herself to creating
the social change necessary to end sexual violence, and she speaks
eloquently about the need to support prevention programming and
services for victims of sexual assault and their families. But maybe
more importantly, she bravely puts a human face on sexual assault with
those less familiar with the issue or its consequences.
Carrie is a neighbor, a daughter, a sister, a wife. And Carrie is a
reason to fight as long as it takes to keep other women from
experiencing what she has endured. She is a true survivor and an
inspiration to me, and should be to all of us.
Although, like Carrie, most victims are younger women, the effects of
sexual assault cut across all racial, social, religious, ethnic and
economic boundaries. Whether the crime is rape, incest, child sexual
abuse, stalking or sexual harassment, sexual assault impacts
everywhere: our schools, workplaces, streets and homes. Sexual assault
is a threat to both public health and public safety, and it requires a
coordinated response in the form of increased support for prevention,
education, law enforcement, prosecution, and services provided to
survivors.
This year, as our country faces difficult economic times, sexual
assault service providers are seeing marked increases in reported
sexual violence for a variety of reasons. Yet according to a 2010
survey of rape crisis centers by the National Alliance to End Sexual
Violence, fully 72 percent of sexual assault prevention programs have
experienced a reduction in funding over the past year; 56 percent have
experienced a reduction in staffing; 23 percent currently have a
waiting list for services; and funding and staffing cuts have resulted
in an overall 50 percent reduction in the provision of institutional
advocacy services.
We still have far to go in eradicating the harm inflected in our
communities by sexual assault. There is a clear and
[[Page H2916]]
significant need for more public education and awareness.
The National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month does just
this. Recognized each year in April, this dedicated month provides a
special opportunity to educate Americans about sexual violence and to
encourage the prevention of sexual assault, the improved treatment of
its survivors, and the prosecution of its perpetrators. As part of the
National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, we recognize
national and community organizations as well as private sector
supporters for their work in promoting awareness about sexual assault,
and also applaud public safety, law enforcement, and health
professionals for their hard work and innovative strategies to increase
the percentage of sexual assault cases that result in the prosecution
and incarceration of offenders.
Along with my colleagues, Congressman Ted Poe from Texas and
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz from Florida, I introduced House
Resolution 1259 to recognize April 2010 as the National Sexual Assault
Awareness and Prevention Month. By supporting this resolution, we
highlight the efforts of individuals and agencies that provide rape
crisis intervention and prevention services. We also call attention to
sexual violence as a major public health issue and raise awareness of
the need for increased resources for preventing sexual violence.
Madam Speaker, I want to extend my thanks to a number of advocates
for their work on sexual assault prevention, and tireless work to help
victims cope with the trauma of sexual assault and transition from
victim to survivor.
In Wisconsin, we are incredibly lucky to have the Wisconsin Coalition
Against Sexual Assault working to create the social change necessary to
end sexual violence. My thanks go to the coalition and their member
organizations across the State for the important work that they do.
And finally, I want to extend my sincere thanks to my colleagues,
Congressman Ted Poe and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz for
their strong support as the lead sponsors of this resolution. Thank you
for your work and leadership.
Although we have made significant progress, we still have far to go
in eradicating the harm inflicted on our communities by sexual assault,
and I urge all of my colleagues to fully support this resolution
recognizing National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, today the House considers House Resolution 1259, a
resolution designating the month of April as Sexual Assault Awareness
Month, and I totally support this important legislation. I want to
thank the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Baldwin) for sponsoring this
bill and bringing it to the attention of Congress again this year. It
is important that we recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month to bring
awareness to this tragic crime that occurs throughout the United
States.
The goal of the resolution is to raise public awareness and educate
communities and individuals about sexual assault and sexual violence.
It encourages the prevention of sexual assault and the improvement of
treatment of its survivors and the prosecution of perpetrators.
The numbers tell the story we cannot ignore. On average, a person is
sexually assaulted in the United States every 2\1/2\ minutes. According
to the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics,
individuals age 12 or older experienced an estimated 222,000 rapes or
sexual assaults in 2008, the last year for which we have data. The Rape
Abuse Incest National Network, called RAINN, provides statistics about
incidents of sexual assault in this country. And according to RAINN,
children and young adults are the greatest risk of sexual assault: 44
percent of sexual assault victims are under the age of 18, and 80
percent are under the age of 30. One in six women and 1 in 33 men are
victims of rape or attempted rape. And over the course of their
lifetimes, 18 percent of all women in the United States are raped.
Thankfully, there are thousands of advocates across the country who
serve as a bridge to recovery and encourage survivors of sexual assault
to report the crimes as soon as it occurs. As my friend from Wisconsin
has pointed out, there are numerous victims groups. I call them the
victims posse, who are out to help victims of crimes, especially in the
area of sexual assault, and we commend them for their work in this
country.
As we work to empower victims of sexual assault, we also need to
support the efforts of law enforcement officials to punish sex
offenders and combat future occurrences. Unfortunately, only 41 percent
of sexual assault victims report their attacks to law enforcement. We
must encourage victims to report the crimes so we can aggressively
prosecute rapists and remove them from our communities. That is why we
build penitentiaries, to house rapists and people who sexually assault
children.
Today's House resolution increases public awareness of sexual assault
and works to combat it through prevention, education, and punishment.
As chairman and co-chair of the Victims Rights Caucus, along with my
friend from California (Mr. Costa) we totally support this legislation.
I have no further requests for time and am prepared to close.
Ms. BALDWIN. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, as my friend has pointed out, this
resolution, Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the statistics really don't
tell the story because it is a story about people. Real people. She
mentioned one from her State of Wisconsin. And there are too many to
mention and talk about. But I would like to talk about one person that
impacted my life.
Before I came to Congress, I spent all of my time at the courthouse
in Houston, first as a prosecutor and then as a criminal court judge.
Every day for years, almost 30, I saw criminal cases, either
prosecuting them or hearing them as a judge.
One of those cases involved a young lady. I will call her Lisa. Lisa
was a student at the University of Houston. She was married and had a
couple of sons. She worked in the daytime and went to school at night
to get a second degree. She had left school one evening and she was
driving down one of our freeways heading home out in the suburbs. The
lights came on on the dash of her car, she had car trouble, and she
pulled off to a service station she thought was open. It was not open,
but she thought it was. Lisa talked to the service station attendant,
turned out he wasn't the service station attendant but she thought he
was, trying to get some help late at night.
The first thing that happened, Luke Johnson pulled her out of that
car. He kidnapped her. He took her to a remote area of east Texas in
the piney woods. He sexually assaulted her. He beat her so bad with a
pistol that he thought he had killed her. In fact, when he later was
arrested, he was mad that he hadn't killed her. Lisa was a remarkable
woman. She survived that brutal attack even though she laid in the
woods for a couple of days before a hunter found her. She was rescued.
Her physical needs were met. The person who committed that crime, Luke
Johnson, was captured by the police. He was charged with aggravated
sexual assault. He was tried in my court. Lisa came and testified about
the events. Luke Johnson was convicted and sent to the penitentiary for
99 years.
You see, Madam Speaker, we would hope that would be the rest of story
and life would go on and victims would recover; but that is not the
world we live in. Victims are people, and because they are people,
things happen to them emotionally as well as physically.
{time} 1700
The first thing that happened to Lisa was she didn't go back to
school; she never went back to that campus again. The next thing that
happened is she lost her job; she was fired because she could not
concentrate based upon this crime. Her husband, being the kind of guy
he was, he decided he no longer wanted her. He filed for divorce,
divorced her, got custody of the children, and moved to another State.
Lisa started abusing drugs. First it was alcohol, then it was
everything else. She couldn't quite handle the fact that she was a
victim of crime, even
[[Page H2917]]
though the perpetrator was off in the penitentiary. And not too long
after this crime was committed, I received a phone call from Lisa's
mother, and she told me that Lisa had taken her life. She left a note,
Madam Speaker, that I still have in my office today across the street,
and the note reads, ``I'm tired of running from Luke Johnson in my
nightmares.''
See, she got the death penalty for being a victim of sexual assault.
And we would hope that victims could handle it, that they could move on
with their life, that they could cope, but that's not the world we
operate in because they're real people. And we as a Nation need to be
sensitive to victims of sexual assault. It's the most unusual crime in
our culture. We can sort of see why people commit theft. We can see
sometimes why people get mad and in a rage they might even commit a
murder. But there is no logical reason why anybody would commit the
crime of sexual assault against another person unless it's an attempt
to steal the very soul of that person, and that's what criminals are
trying to do when they commit this crime. That is why it is such a
horrible crime, and we as a culture must be concerned about it.
So this resolution helps bring that to the public forum, that Sexual
Assault Awareness Month is something that we should be, as a people,
concerned about because victims have rights, too. The same Constitution
that protects defendants protects victims of crime. And as it has been
said before, we are not judged by the way we treat the rich, the
famous, the powerful, the important folks. We're judged by the way we
treat the innocent, the weak, the victims of crime. That's how we as a
people will be judged.
So I commend the gentlelady from Wisconsin for sponsoring this
resolution. I wholeheartedly support it and I urge its adoption.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. BALDWIN. Madam Speaker, I appreciate my cosponsor of this
legislation for also putting a name, a story, and a face on this very
consequential matter. Lisa and Carrie from our respective States
represent many other victims and survivors alike, and it speaks to the
importance of this resolution. I commend the gentleman for his advocacy
and ask for support of this resolution.
Ms. BALDWIN. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Titus). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Baldwin) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1259.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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