[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 80 (Wednesday, May 8, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3599-S3600]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 679--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF 
                 NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH

  Mr. CORNYN (for himself, Mr. Casey, Mrs. Blackburn, and Ms. Hassan) 
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 679

       Whereas children are fundamental to the success of the 
     United States and will shape the future of the United States;
       Whereas elected representatives and leaders in the 
     communities of the United States must be ever vigilant and 
     proactive in support of evidence-based means to prevent child 
     abuse and neglect and support families;
       Whereas adverse childhood experiences (referred to in this 
     preamble as ``ACEs'') are

[[Page S3600]]

     traumatic experiences that occur during childhood with 
     lasting effects and include experiences of violence, abuse, 
     or neglect;
       Whereas at least 5 of the top 10 leading causes of death 
     are associated with ACEs;
       Whereas preventing ACEs could reduce many health 
     conditions, including--
       (1) up to 21,000,000 cases of depression;
       (2) up to 1,900,000 cases of heart disease; and
       (3) up to 2,500,000 cases of overweight and obesity;
       Whereas every child is filled with tremendous promise, and 
     we all have a collective responsibility to prevent ACEs, 
     foster the potential of every child, and promote positive 
     childhood experiences;
       Whereas primary prevention of child abuse and neglect can 
     reduce the lifetime economic burden associated with child 
     maltreatment;
       Whereas, in 2022, an estimated 7,530,000 children were 
     referred to child protective services agencies, alleging 
     maltreatment;
       Whereas, in 2022, the National Center for Missing and 
     Exploited Children's CyberTipline received nearly 32,000,000 
     reports of suspected online child sexual exploitation, which 
     marked the highest number of reports ever received in 1 year;
       Whereas reports indicate that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 20 boys 
     experience sexual abuse before their eighteenth birthday, 
     with more than 42,000,000 estimated child sexual abuse 
     survivors in the United States;
       Whereas approximately 1 in 7 children in the United States 
     experienced child abuse, neglect, or both between 2022 and 
     2023;
       Whereas 43 percent of children exposed to inappropriate 
     sexual content on social media are under 13 years old, and 1 
     in 5 are 9 years old or younger;
       Whereas 91 percent of child sexual abuse victims are abused 
     by a person they know and trust;
       Whereas children who are sexually abused, especially when 
     not provided appropriate treatment and support, often suffer 
     lifelong consequences, such as physical and mental health 
     challenges and higher risk of drug and alcohol misuse and 
     suicide;
       Whereas education and awareness of possible signs of child 
     abuse and neglect should be prioritized for purposes of 
     prevention;
       Whereas by intervening to prevent adversity and build 
     resilience during the most critical years of development of a 
     child, voluntary, evidence-based, home-visiting programs have 
     shown positive impact on--
       (1) reducing the recurrence of child abuse and neglect;
       (2) decreased low-birthweight babies;
       (3) improved school readiness for children; and
       (4) increased high school graduation rates: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) expresses support for the goals and ideals of National 
     Child Abuse Prevention Month;
       (2) recognizes child abuse and neglect and child sexual 
     abuse are preventable and that a healthy and prosperous 
     society depends on strong families and communities;
       (3) supports efforts to increase the awareness of, and 
     provide education for, the general public of the United 
     States, with respect to preventing child abuse and neglect 
     and building protective factors for families;
       (4) supports the efforts to help survivors of childhood 
     sexual abuse heal;
       (5) supports justice for victims of childhood sexual abuse; 
     and
       (6) recognizes the need for prevention, healing, and 
     justice efforts related to childhood abuse and neglect and 
     sexual abuse.

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