Backup Documents 04/10/2018 Item # 4A 4A
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, Sexual Assault Awareness Month calls attention to the fact that sexual violence is
widespread and impacts every person in this community; and the goal of SAAM is to raise public
awareness about sexual violence and educate communities on how to prevent it; and,
WHEREAS, rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment harm our community, and statistics show
one in five women and one in 67 men will be raped at some point in their lives (Smith et al., 2017);
and,
WHEREAS, child sexual abuse prevention must be a priority to confront the reality that one in
six boys and one in four girls will experience sexual assault before age 18 (Dube et al., 2005); and,
WHEREAS, on campus, one in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted during their
time in college (Krebs, Lindquist, Warner, Fisher, & Martin, 2007); and,
WHEREAS, the theme of this year's SAAM campaign is "Embrace Your Voice," to inform
individuals on how they can use their words to stop sexual violence before it happens by promoting
safety, respect, and equality; and,
WHEREAS, our words shape the world around us. Whether you speak out against locker room
talk or help someone better understand these issues, your voice in powerful and necessary in this
conversation; individuals can embrace their voices to show their support for survivors, stand up
to victim blaming, shut down rape jokes, correct harmful misconceptions, promote everyday
consent, and practice healthy communication with kids; and,
WHEREAS, Project HELP Inc., joins advocates and communities across the country in taking
action to prevent sexual violence.
NOW THEREFORE, be it proclaimed by the Board of County Commissioners of Collier County,
Florida, that April 2018 be designated as
SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH IN COLLIER COUNTY
DONE AND ORDERED THIS 10th Day of April 2018.
(-��11 ��� BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
tt ,, '<;l COLLIER COUNTY, FL7IDA
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( ANDY SOLI , CHAIRMAN