[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 4, 2018)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 14561-14562]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-07027]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 83 , No. 65 / Wednesday, April 4, 2018 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 14561]]


                Proclamation 9717 of March 30, 2018

                
National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention 
                Month, 2018

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                During National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention 
                Month, we remain steadfast in our efforts to stop 
                crimes of sexual violence, provide care for victims, 
                enforce the law, prosecute offenders, and raise 
                awareness about the many forms of sexual assault. We 
                must continue our work to eliminate sexual assault from 
                our society and promote safe relationships, homes, and 
                communities.

                Sexual assault crimes remain tragically common in our 
                society, and offenders too often evade accountability. 
                These heinous crimes are committed indiscriminately: in 
                intimate relationships, in public spaces, and in the 
                workplace.

                We must respond to sexual assault by identifying and 
                holding perpetrators accountable. Too often, however, 
                the victims of assault remain silent. They may fear 
                retribution from their offender, lack faith in the 
                justice system, or have difficulty confronting the pain 
                associated with the traumatic experience. My 
                Administration is committed to raising awareness about 
                sexual assault and to empowering victims to identify 
                perpetrators so that they can be held accountable. We 
                must make it as easy as possible for those who have 
                suffered from sexual assault to alert the authorities 
                and to speak about the experience with their family and 
                friends.

                When victims seek help, responses must be carefully 
                tailored to the context in which the sexual assault 
                occurred and the unique needs of each victim. To better 
                assist victims, the Department of Justice's Office on 
                Violence Against Women has developed the Sexual Assault 
                Victim Intervention Services Technical Assistance 
                Center (SAVIS TAC). This new resource will help 
                community officials and organizations appropriately 
                respond to sexual assault by expanding their 
                understanding of the type of support likely to be 
                effective in each unique circumstance. Participants in 
                the SAVIS TAC initiative will use available funds to 
                provide intensive training and resources to service 
                providers. With these resources, service providers, 
                including rape crisis centers and other sexual assault 
                and domestic violence organizations can build 
                organizational and staff capacity for providing 
                comprehensive sexual assault victim intervention 
                services.

                Together, during Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we 
                recommit ourselves to doing our part to help stop 
                sexual violence. We must not be afraid to talk about 
                sexual assualt and sexual assult prevention with our 
                loved ones, in our communities, and with those who have 
                experienced these tragedies. We must encourage victims 
                to report sexual assault and law enforcement to hold 
                offenders accountable, and we must support victims and 
                survivors unremmittingly. Through a concerted effort to 
                better educate ourselves, empower victims, and punish 
                criminals, our Nation will move closer to ending the 
                grief, fear, and suffering caused by sexual assult. The 
                prevention of sexual violence is everyone's concern.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United 
                States, do hereby proclaim April 2018 as National

[[Page 14562]]

                Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. I urge 
                all Americans, families, law enforcement, healthcare 
                providers, community and faith-based organizations, and 
                private organizations to support survivors of sexual 
                assault and work together to prevent these crimes in 
                their communities.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand eighteen, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                second.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2018-07027
Filed 4-3-18; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F8-P