•HRES 829 IH 
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; 
Whereas many sexual assaults are not reported to law en-
forcement agencies, and many States have restrictive 
criminal statutes of limitations, which enable 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, 
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•HRES 829 IH 
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; 
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), which helped 209,480 sur-
vivors in 2017, the most since its founding, and continues 
to receive record requests for support in 2018; and 
(2) more than 1,000 sexual assault service providers 
across the United States; 
Whereas the Department of Defense Safe Helpline, Safe 
HelpRoom, and Safe Helpline mobile app each provide 
support and help to members of the Department of De-
fense 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— 
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•HRES 829 IH 
(1) that individuals and organizations 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; 
Whereas in the last year the powerful stories of sexual as-
sault survivors have brought attention to the importance 
of addressing sexual violence to the forefront of our soci-
ety; and 
Whereas April 2018 is recognized as ‘‘National Sexual As-
sault Awareness and Prevention Month’’: Now, therefore, 
be it 
Resolved, That— 
(1) it is the sense of the House of Representa-
tives that— 
(A) ‘‘National Sexual Assault Awareness 
and Prevention Month’’ provides a special op-
portunity to educate the people of the United 
States about sexual violence and to encourage 
sexual assault prevention programs, to improve 
the treatment of and services to survivors of 
sexual assault, and to increase the prosecution 
of perpetrators; 
(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; 
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•HRES 829 IH 
(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 
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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