IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 307 

Expressing support for the goals and ideals of National Child Abuse 

Prevention Month. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 19, 2023 

Mr. JOYCE of Ohio (for himself, Ms. KUSTER, Ms. PORTER, Mr. BACON, Ms. 

MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. PAPPAS, and Mr. COSTA) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 

the Workforce 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the goals and ideals of National Child 

Abuse Prevention Month. 

Whereas children are fundamental to the success of our Nation and will shape the future of the United States; 

Whereas elected representatives and leaders in our communities must be ever vigilant and proactive in support of 

evidence-based means to prevent child abuse and support 

families; 

Whereas adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic 

experiences that occur during childhood with lasting longterm effects and include experiences such as child abuse 

and neglect, witnessing violence, or growing up in a 


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•HRES 307 IH 

household with a family member with a substance use 

disorder; 

Whereas at least 5 of the top 10 leading causes of death are 

associated with ACEs; 

Whereas preventing ACEs could reduce many health conditions, including up to 21,000,000 cases of depression, 

1,900,000 cases of heart disease, and 2,500,000 cases of 

overweight and obesity; 

Whereas every child is filled with tremendous promise, and 

we all have a collective responsibility to prevent ACEs, 

foster the potential of every child, and promote positive 

childhood experience; 

Whereas investments in primary prevention pay off as studies 

show that the total lifetime economic burden associated 

with treating the consequences of child maltreatment is 

approximately $2,000,000,000,000; 

Whereas economic adversity has been observed as an increased risk for potential abuse of children; 

Whereas, in 2021, an estimated 7,176,600 children were referred to child protective services agencies, alleging maltreatment; 

Whereas 2020 saw more than 21,700,000 reports of suspected child sexual exploitation made to the National 

Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s 

CyberTipline, which marked the highest number of reports ever received in 1 year; 

Whereas 84,900,000 pieces of child exploitation materials 

were reported in 2021; 

Whereas reports indicate that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys 

experience sexual abuse before their 18th birthday with 


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•HRES 307 IH 

42,000,000 estimated child sexual abuse survivors in the 

United States; 

Whereas approximately 1 in 7 children in the United States 

has experienced child abuse, neglect, or both during the 

past year; 

Whereas 1 in 5 children has received a sexual approach or 

solicitation on the internet during the past year; 

Whereas 70 percent of child sexual abuse victims reported 

perpetration by a juvenile offender, often an acquaintance 

and 91 percent of victims are abused by a person they 

know and trust; 

Whereas children who are sexually abused, when not provided 

appropriate treatment, often suffer from lifelong problems, such as physical and mental health issues, and 

higher risk of drug and alcohol abuse, and suicide; 

Whereas children who are abused or neglected are more likely 

to be arrested for delinquent behavior as juveniles; 

Whereas children who have experienced abuse are more likely 

to be arrested for violent and criminal behavior as adults; 

Whereas education and awareness of possible signs of child 

abuse should be prioritized for purposes of prevention; 

Whereas, by intervening to prevent adversity and build resilience during a child’s most critical years of development, 

voluntary, evidence-based, home-visiting programs like 

Healthy Families America, the signature home-visiting 

program of Prevent Child Abuse America, have shown 

positive impact on reducing the recurrence of child abuse 

and neglect, decreased low-birthweight babies, improved 

school readiness for children, and increased high school 

graduation rates for parents; 


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Whereas Keep Kids Safe is a survivor-centered coalition of 

organizations dedicated to preventing sexual violence 

against children and adolescents, and to healing and justice for survivors; 

Whereas this coalition includes the Monique Burr Foundation, Darkness to Light, Together for Girls, the SNAP 

network, the Army of Survivors, and the National Children’s Alliance; and 

Whereas these organizations play a critical role in preventing 

childhood abuse and child sexual abuse and helping survivors heal and seek justice: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) expresses support for the goals and ideals of 

3 National Child Abuse Prevention Month; 

4 (2) recognizes child abuse and child sexual 

5 abuse is preventable and that a healthy and pros6 perous society depends on strong families and com7 munities; 

8 (3) supports efforts to increase the awareness 

9 of, and provide education for, the general public of 

10 the United States, related to the prevention of child 

11 abuse and protective factors for families; 

12 (4) supports the efforts to help survivors of 

13 childhood sexual abuse heal; 

14 (5) supports justice for victims of childhood 

15 sexual abuse; and 


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1 (6) recognizes the need for additional invest2 ments and Federal legislation for prevention, heal3 ing, and justice efforts related to childhood abuse 

4 and sexual abuse. 

Æ 


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