SLS 15RS-312 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 18
BY SENATORS MORRELL AND PETERSON AND REPRESENTATIVES ADAMS,
WESLEY BISHOP, GISCLAIR AND PATRICK WILLIAMS
SENATE. Designates the month of April 2015 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To designate the month of April 2015 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in the state of
3 Louisiana and to draw attention to the need for preventive measures.
4 WHEREAS, the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana recognizes that protection
5 from sexual exploitation is a social right of all individuals, that implementation of legal
6 safeguards to prevent sexual assault is essential to society, and that support provided to
7 victims is the responsibility of governments, law enforcement, and social services; and
8 WHEREAS, sexual assault occurs when an individual is threatened, coerced,
9 manipulated, or forced to engage in nonconsensual sexual activity; and
10 WHEREAS, a sexual offense is a profound violation of the body of the individual
11 that includes illicit touching, drug facilitated date rape, spouse abuse, child abuse, elder
12 abuse, stalking, and intimidation; and
13 WHEREAS, sexual assault is a serious crime that affects persons indiscriminate of
14 race, age, gender, or economic status; infractions often go unreported to law enforcement
15 authorities and without medical attention afforded to its victims; and
16 WHEREAS, grave statistics estimate that in the United States a rape occurs every
17 two minutes; only thirty-two percent of rape assaults, roughly one in three, are reported to
18 law enforcement, and of those reported cases, only two percent, or one in fifty rapists, are
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SLS 15RS-312 ORIGINAL
1 successfully prosecuted and incarcerated; and
2 WHEREAS, public policy advocates that reduction of the social effects of sexual
3 assault risk requires focus upon multiple venues; and
4 WHEREAS, law enforcement authorities must thoroughly investigate the crime,
5 gather and examine physical evidence, and apprehend predators; however, due to limited
6 funding, rape evidence kits often go unprocessed and perpetrators continue to prey upon
7 victims; and
8 WHEREAS, criminal justice systems are required to prosecute assault cases, render
9 appropriate punishment, effectively rehabilitate sex offenders, and monitor their
10 whereabouts through a lifelong sex offender registry; and
11 WHEREAS, mental health treatment, social services, and community outreach
12 programs provide the victims of sexual exploitation with support and recovery, and survivors
13 are empowered through advocacy, therapy, and self-autonomy; and
14 WHEREAS, the Sexual Assault Awareness Month campaign engages lawmakers and
15 communities to join together in efforts of prevention, education, and intervention, and these
16 endeavors are paramount in the fulfillment of the social contract that promotes a healthy
17 environment and a culture of physical safety.
18 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
19 does hereby designate the month of April 2015 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in the
20 state of Louisiana.
21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does
22 hereby recognize that sexual violence is an issue of public health, human rights, and social
23 justice that requires preventive efforts.
24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
25 STAR, Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Susan P. Montague.
DIGEST
SR 18 Original 2015 Regular Session Morrell
Designates April 2015 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
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