,,iii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #efj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #f1 #bjbj,mrs4 ,feinstein 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,cornyn1 ,mr4 ,leahy1 ,ms4 ,ernst1 ,mrs4 ,murray1 and ,mr4 ,grassley7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary ,,resolution ,recognizing and supporting the goals and ideals of ,national ,sexual ,assault ,awareness and ,prevention ,month4 ,whereas the ,senate is committed to the awareness1 prevention1 and deterrence of sexual violence affecting individuals in the ,united ,states2 ,whereas1 according to the ,national ,crime ,victimization ,survey1 between #bjjh and #bjah1 approximately-- 7#a7 #c1dcd1cbf women were victims of rape and sexual assault2 and 7#b7 #ebc1hie men were victims of rape and sexual assault2 ,whereas1 due to the unprecedented challenges presented by the ,,covid-#ai pandemic1 including mandatory stay-at-home orders1 the needs of sexual assault victims have become even more complex and challenging2 ,whereas1 according to a ,march #bjbj survey by the ,national ,alliance to ,end ,sexual ,violence of more than #fjj rape crisis programs1 #hi percent of those programs need emergency stimulus funding to respond to requests from survivors for support and emergency assistance2 ,whereas1 according to the ,march #bjbj survey1 since the onset of the ,,covid-#ai pandemic1 #dj percent of the programs surveyed have experienced an increased demand for services both in terms of new requests and more dire and complicated requests from existing clients1 including requests relating to technology needs for virtual services and emergency needs of vulnerable survivors2 ,whereas1 during the pandemic1 many rape crisis centers have had to cancel signature fundraisers and have experienced overall decreases in private donations2 ,whereas1 according to the #bjah ,child ,maltreatment ,report of the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services1 in #bjah1 child protective services agencies substantiated or found strong evidence to indicate that #dg1abd children under #ah years of age were victims of sexual abuse2 ,whereas1 according to the ,national ,crime ,victimization ,survey1 between #bjad and #bjah1 an average of only #bi percent of rapes or sexual assaults in the ,united ,states were reported to law enforcement agencies2 ,whereas studies have suggested that the rate at which ,american ,indians and ,alaska ,natives experience sexual violence is significantly higher than for other populations in the ,united ,states2 ,whereas1 according to the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 more than #a_/b of all female rape victims reported being raped by an intimate partner2 ,whereas sexual violence is a burden for many individuals who serve in the ,armed ,forces1 and the ,department of ,defense estimates that approximately #bj1ejj members of the ,armed ,forces1 including approximately #ac1jjj women and #g1ejj men1 experienced some form of contact or penetrative sexual assault during #bjah2 ,whereas sexual assault does not discriminate on any basis and can affect any individual in the ,united ,states2 ,whereas sexual violence may take many forms1 including acquaintance1 stranger1 spousal1 and gang rape1 incest1 child sexual abuse1 elder sexual abuse1 sexual abuse and exploitation of disabled persons1 commercial sex trafficking1 sexual harassment1 and stalking2 ,whereas1 according to the ,national ,alliance to ,end ,sexual ,violence1 in addition to immediate physical and emotional costs1 sexual assault can have numerous adverse consequences for the victim1 which may include post-traumatic stress disorder1 substance abuse1 major depression1 homelessness1 eating disorders1 and suicide2 ,whereas1 according to a #bjai survey of rape crisis centers by the ,national ,alliance to ,end ,sexual ,violence1 of such centers have a waiting list1 in some cases months long1 for counseling services1 #dd percent lack a therapist on staff1 and #hd percent have experienced an increased demand for services2 ,whereas many sexual assaults are not reported to law enforcement agencies1 and many ,states have restrictive criminal statutes of limitations1 which enable many perpetrators to evade punishment for their crimes2 ,whereas advances in deoxyribonucleic acid 7commonly known as ,,dna7 technology have enabled law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute the perpetrators in tens of thousands of previously unsolved sexual assault cases2 ,whereas incarceration of sexual assault perpetrators can prevent perpetrators from committing additional crimes2 ,whereas national1 ,state1 territorial1 and ,tribal coalitions1 community-based rape crisis centers1 and other organizations across the ,united ,states are committed to-- 7#a7 increasing public awareness of sexual violence and the prevalence of sexual violence2 and 7#b7 eliminating sexual violence through prevention and education2 ,whereas important partnerships have been formed among criminal and juvenile justice agencies1 health professionals1 public health workers1 educators1 first responders1 and victim service providers2 ,whereas thousands of volunteers and staff at rape crisis centers1 ,state coalitions against sexual assault1 and nonprofit organizations across the ,united ,states play an important role in making crisis hotlines and other services available to survivors of sexual assault2 ,whereas free1 confidential help is available to all victims and survivors of sexual assault through-- 7#a7 the ,national ,sexual ,assault ,hotline-- 7,a7 by telephone at #hjj-fef-;,,hope2 and 7,b7 online at https3_/_/hotline4rainn4org2 and 7#b7 more than #a1jjj sexual assault service providers across the ,united ,states2 ,whereas the victim service programs of the ,rape1 ,abuse ,incest ,national ,network 7commonly known as ,,rainn71 including the ,national ,sexual ,assault ,hotline-- 7#a7 in #bjai1 helped #cjd1bge survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones1 which represented the greatest number of people assisted since the founding of the hotline in #aiid2 and 7#b7 continue to receive a record number of requests for support in #bjbj2 ,whereas the ,department of ,defense provides the ,safe ,helpline hotline1 ,safe ,help,room online chat service1 and ,safe ,helpline mobile application1 each of which offer support and help to members of the ,department of ,defense community-- 7#a7 by telephone at #hgg-iie-ebdg2 and 7#b7 online at https3_/_/safehelpline4org2 ,whereas individual and collective efforts reflect the dream of the people of the ,united ,states-- 7#a7 for individuals and organizations to actively work to prevent all forms of sexual violence2 and 7#b7 for no victim of sexual assault to be unserved or feel that there is no path to justice2 and ,whereas ,april #bjbj is recognized as ,national ,sexual ,assault ,awareness and ,prevention ,month3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that-- 7#a7 it is the sense of the ,senate that-- 7,a7 ,national ,sexual ,assault ,awareness and ,prevention ,month provides a special opportunity to-- 7i7 educate the people of the ,united ,states about sexual violence2 and 7ii7 encourage-- 7,i7 the prevention of sexual assault2 7,,ii7 improvement in the treatment of survivors of sexual assault2 and 7,,iii7 the prosecution of perpetrators of sexual assault2 7,b7 it is appropriate to properly acknowledge survivors of sexual assault and to commend the volunteers and professionals who assist those survivors in their efforts to heal2 7,c7 national and community organizations and private sector supporters should be recognized and applauded for their work in-- 7i7 promoting awareness about sexual assault2 7ii7 providing information and treatment to survivors of sexual assault2 and 7iii7 increasing the number of successful prosecutions of perpetrators of sexual assault2 and 7,d7 public safety1 law enforcement1 and health professionals should be recognized and applauded for their hard work and innovative strategies to ensure perpetrators of sexual assault are held accountable2 and 7#b7 the ,senate supports the goals and ideals of ,national ,sexual ,assault ,awareness and ,prevention ,month4