2025 -- H 6199
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LC000478
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
COMMEMORATING APRIL OF 2025, AS "CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT AWAREN ESS
MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
Introduced By: Representatives Roberts, Nardone, Chippendale, Santucci, Hopkins,
Paplauskas, Fascia, Place, Newberry, and J. Brien
Date Introduced: April 08, 2025
Referred To: House read and passed
WHEREAS, Child Sexual Assault Awareness Month is observed annually in April in 1
order to recognize and increase awareness about sexual violence against children and educate 2
communities on how to prevent it; and 3
WHEREAS, Child sexual abuse is a significant public health problem and is not solely 4
restricted to physical contact; such abuse could include noncontact abuse, such as exposure, 5
voyeurism, and child pornography; and 6
WHEREAS, The prevalence of child sexual abuse is difficult to fully determine because 7
it is often not reported; however, according to the most recent National Statistics from Child 8
Abuse Organizations, one out of ten children in the United States has experienced physical and 9
sexual abuse. One in four girls and one in thirteen boys become a victim of child sexual abuse 10
before they turn eighteen years old according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 11
and 12
WHEREAS, Forty-four percent of rape victims are under the age of eighteen and sixty-13
three percent of all sexual assaults go unreported to the police; and 14
WHEREAS, According to the 2023 National Statistics on Child Abuse, U.S. child 15
welfare authorities look into the safety of more than 7.5 million children annually and of those, 16
around 3 million children received an investigation or alternative response from child protective 17
services agencies; and 18
WHEREAS, A child who is the victim of prolonged sexual abuse usually develops low 19
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self-esteem, a feeling of worthlessness and an abnormal or distorted view of sex. The child may 1
become withdrawn and mistrustful of adults, and can become suicidal; and 2
WHEREAS, Children do not always fully comprehend nor are they developmentally 3
prepared or have the ability to give consent, and need to rely on adults to keep them safe and 4
ensure that child molesters and abusers are held responsible for their actions; now therefore be it 5
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 6
commemorates April of 2025 as "Child Sexual Assault Awareness Month" and calls upon all 7
Rhode Islanders to help prevent and eliminate child sexual assault and violence in our 8
communities through advocacy, training, education and prevention programs; and be it further 9
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 10
transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the State of Rhode Island Department of 11
Children, Youth & Families and the Children's Advocacy Center. 12
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LC000478
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