    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 133, 116th Congress, 1st Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Proclamation 9856 of March 29, 2019

    National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, 2019

    By the President of the United States of America

    A Proclamation

    Sexual assault has shattered and scarred the lives of millions of women,
    men, and children. During National Sexual Assault Awareness and
    Prevention Month, we reaffirm our commitment to eliminating sexual
    violence, empowering survivors and their families, and providing justice
    to the victims of this devastating crime.
    While our Nation has made significant progress in sexual assault
    prosecution and prevention, and in providing compassionate care for
    survivors dealing with physical and emotional trauma, the battle to
    eradi

    [[Page 3336]]

    cate violence and heal lives is ongoing. My Administration supports
    innovative strategies to combat the many forms of sexual assault and to
    provide counseling, treatment, and advocacy for survivors nationwide.
    For example, to care for victims in rural communities who may lack
    proximity to clinics and trained forensic examiners, the Department of
    Justice's Office for Victims of Crime is increasing access to exams
    through 24-hour telemedicine administered by trained healthcare
    examiners. The Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women
    has created an updated sexual assault forensic examinations virtual
    practicum, which employs cutting-edge technology and interactive
    training to prepare forensic professionals to collect evidence and treat
    survivors of sexual assault. And the Department of Transportation has
    formed the National In-Flight Sexual Misconduct Task Force to assess how
    airlines respond to and report sexual misconduct allegations by
    passengers on commercial aircraft.
    My Administration is also focused on eradicating sex trafficking, a form
    of sexual assault that amounts to modern-day slavery. Because many
    victims are trafficked online--sometimes by intimate partners, spouses,
    parents, or other family members--I signed into law the Allow States and
    Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017. This law makes it
    easier to take legal action against individuals who use websites to
    facilitate sex trafficking and helps victims seek justice against the
    websites that profit from their exploitation. It also clarifies that
    those who benefit from knowingly assisting, supporting, or facilitating
    an act of sex trafficking are in violation of Federal law.
    Thanks to the dedication of professionals, volunteers, and concerned
    citizens, we are continuing to make strides in the fight against sexual
    assault. Young people are learning healthy dating and intimate
    relationship skills as a way to prevent sexual violence, and law
    enforcement officers and prosecutors are leading unprecedented efforts
    to fight sex trafficking. Victim centered services are also supporting
    survivors to get the critical help they deserve. By working together, we
    can prevent and end the sexual abuse and violence that devastate so many
    lives.
    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
    the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 2019 as National
    Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. I urge all Americans,
    families, law enforcement personnel, healthcare providers, and community
    and faith-based 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 twenty-ninth day of
    March, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
    third.
    DONALD J. TRUMP