•HRES 269 IH 
Whereas on average, there are 321,500 rapes and sexual as-
saults each year in the United States, according to the 
Department of Justice; 
Whereas according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, nearly 1 in 5 women (or 18.3 percent) and 
1 in 71 men (or 1.4 percent) surveyed in the United 
States in 2010 experienced a rape or attempted rape at 
some time in their lives; 
Whereas sexual violence affects many individuals who serve 
the United States, and the RAND Corporation estimates 
that approximately 20,300 members of the United States 
Armed Forces experienced sexual assault in fiscal year 
2014; 
Whereas children and young adults are at significant risk of 
sexual assault, up to 44 percent of sexual assault victims 
are under 18 years of age, and the majority of sexual as-
sault victims are under 30 years of age; 
Whereas sexual assault affects women, men, and children of 
all racial, social, religious, age, ethnic, and socioeconomic 
groups in the United States; 
Whereas sexual violence may take many forms, including ac-
quaintance, stranger, spousal, and gang rape, incest, 
child sexual abuse, commercial sex trafficking, sexual 
harassment, and stalking; 
Whereas in addition to the immediate physical and emotional 
costs of sexual assault, sexual assault has numerous ad-
verse consequences, which can include post-traumatic 
stress disorder, substance abuse, major depression, home-
lessness, eating disorders, and suicide, according to the 
National Alliance to End Sexual Violence; 
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•HRES 269 IH 
Whereas many sexual assaults are not reported to law en-
forcement agencies and many States have restrictive 
criminal statutes of limitations, which enables many rap-
ists to evade punishment for their crimes; 
Whereas approximately 70 percent of sexual crimes are com-
mitted by individuals who are known to the victim; 
Whereas sexual assault survivors suffer emotional scars long 
after the physical scars have healed; 
Whereas DNA technology has enabled perpetrators to be 
identified and prosecuted in many rape cases; 
Whereas prosecution can lead to the incarceration of rapists 
and prevent those individuals from committing additional 
crimes; 
Whereas national, State, territorial, and tribal coalitions, 
community-based rape crisis centers, and other organiza-
tions across the United States are committed to— 
(1) serving survivors of sexual violence; 
(2) eliminating sexual violence through prevention 
and education; and 
(3) increasing public awareness of sexual violence 
and the prevalence of sexual violence; 
Whereas according to the National Alliance to End Sexual 
Violence, 53 percent of rape crisis centers have a waiting 
list for counseling services and rely on Federal, State and 
local funding sources to provide services to survivors and 
prevention activities in their communities; 
Whereas student survivors in K–12 and postsecondary edu-
cation need access to accommodations and support and 
schools have a responsibility to respond to and prevent 
sexual violence; 
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•HRES 269 IH 
Whereas important partnerships have been formed among 
criminal and juvenile justice agencies, health profes-
sionals, public health workers, educators, first respond-
ers, and victim service providers; 
Whereas thousands of volunteers and staff at rape crisis cen-
ters, State coalitions against sexual assault, and non-
profit organizations across the United States play an im-
portant role in making crisis hotlines and other services 
available to survivors of sexual assault; 
Whereas free, confidential help is available to all victims and 
survivors of sexual assault through— 
(1) the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800–656– 
HOPE and online.rainn.org); and 
(2) more than 1,000 sexual assault service providers 
across the United States; 
Whereas the DoD Safe Helpline, Safe HelpRoom, and Safe 
Helpline mobile app each provide support and help to 
members of the Department of Defense community— 
(1) by telephone at 877–995–5247; and 
(2) online at SafeHelpline.org; 
Whereas individual and collective efforts reflect the dream of 
the people of the United States— 
(1) for individuals and organizations to actively work 
to prevent all forms of sexual violence; and 
(2) for no sexual assault victim to be unserved or 
feel that there is no path to justice; and 
Whereas April 2017, is recognized as ‘‘National Sexual As-
sault Awareness and Prevention Month’’: Now, therefore, 
be it 
Resolved, That— 
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•HRES 269 IH 
(1) it is the sense of the House of Representa-
tives that— 
(A) National Sexual Assault Awareness 
and Prevention Month provides a special oppor-
tunity to educate the people of the United 
States about sexual violence and to encourage 
sexual assault prevention programs, improve 
the treatment of and services to survivors of 
sexual assault, and the prosecution of perpetra-
tors; 
(B) it is appropriate to properly acknowl-
edge survivors of sexual assault and to com-
mend the volunteers and professionals who as-
sist those survivors in their efforts to heal; 
(C) national and community organizations 
and private sector supporters should be recog-
nized and applauded for their work in pro-
moting awareness about sexual assault, pro-
viding information and treatment to survivors 
of sexual assault, and increasing the number of 
successful prosecutions of perpetrators of sexual 
assault; and 
(D) public safety, law enforcement, and 
health professionals should be recognized and 
applauded for their hard work and innovative 
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•HRES 269 IH 
strategies to ensure perpetrators of sexual as-
sault are held accountable; and 
(2) the House of Representatives supports the 
goals and ideals of National Sexual Assault Aware-
ness and Prevention Month. 
Æ 
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