[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 132, 115th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
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

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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
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.
DONALD J. TRUMP