    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 128, 113th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    PROCLAMATION 9097--MAR. 31, 2014

    Proclamation 9097 of March 31, 2014

    National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, 2014

    By the President of the United States of America

    A Proclamation

    Every April, our Nation comes together to renew our stand against a
    crime that affronts our basic decency and humanity. Sexual assault
    threatens every community in America, and we all have a role to play in
    protecting those we love most--our mothers and fathers, our husbands and
    wives, our daughters and sons. During National Sexual Assault Awareness
    and Prevention Month, we recommit to ending the outrage of sexual
    assault, giving survivors the support they need to heal, and building a
    culture that never tolerates sexual violence.
    Thanks to dedicated activists and courageous survivors, we have made
    strides in reducing stigma, opened new shelters across our country, and
    given countless Americans a new sense of hope. A driving force behind
    much of this progress was the landmark Violence Against Women Act. Last
    year, I was proud to sign legislation that reauthorized and strengthened
    this law while also extending protections for underserved communities.
    We have come a long way, but sexual violence remains an all-too-common
    tragedy. Today, an estimated one in five women is sexually assaulted in
    college. This is unacceptable. Because college should be a place where
    everyone can safely and confidently pursue their talents, I launched the
    White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault. And
    because our Nation's backlog of rape kits means offenders may be free to
    strike again, I have proposed funding for coordinated community teams to
    address this problem. My Administration is working to stop sexual
    assaults wherever they occur, in both the civilian community and the
    Armed Forces. Together, we will continue to strengthen the criminal
    justice system, develop trauma-informed services, reach out to
    survivors, and focus aggressively on prevention.
    Sexual assault is more than just a crime against individuals. When a
    young boy or girl withdraws because they are questioning their self-
    worth after an assault, that deprives us of their full potential. When a
    parent struggles to hold a job in the wake of a traumatic attack, the
    whole family suffers. And when a student drops out of school or a
    service member leaves the military because they were sexually assaulted,
    that is a loss for our entire Nation.
    This month, let us recognize that we all have a stake in preventing
    sexual assault, and we all have the power to make a difference.
    Together, let us stand for dignity and respect, strengthen the fabric of
    our communities, and build a safer, more just world.

    [[Page 4129]]

    NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
    America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
    the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 2014 as National
    Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. I urge all Americans 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 thirty-first day of
    March, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
    eighth.
    BARACK OBAMA