CITY OF SEBASTOPOL
Proclamation
Proclaiming April 2022
As
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Whereas, While awareness around sexual violence has grown over the years, its rate of occurrence remains high. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center on Violence Against Women reports that 1 in 5 women and 1 in 7 men will experience sexual violence involving some form of physical contact during their lifetimes; and Whereas, Verity’s founding vision in 1974 was to prevent sexual assault and to become a central source of assistance that placed the needs of sexual assault survivors at the highest level; and
Whereas, Verity’s Prevention Education Department increases awareness of sexual violence through age-appropriate classroom and community presentations to approximately 8,000 to 9,000 youth each year, and education of children is a foundational strategy to ending sexual violence; and
Whereas, Since Sonoma County adopted a shelter-in-place policy (March 22, 2020), Verity staff has mitigated transmission of the COVID-19 virus by working remotely and by utilizing virtual communications, staff continues to provide critically important advocacy and assistance to survivors and maintains effective communications with law enforcement, health care providers and community service organizations; and Whereas, Verity strives to ensure that socially isolated and vulnerable populations such as homeless, immigrant, incarcerated, and veteran survivors are assisted and helped lead the formation of the Human Trafficking Task Force; and
Whereas, Verity strives to eliminate all forms of violence, with a special focus on sexual assault and abuse. Sexual assault is an unacceptable form of oppression, which is destructive to the lives of the survivors, their families, and their friends.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT I, Patrick Slayter, Mayor of the City of Sebastopol, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the laws of the City of Sebastopol and the State of California, do hereby proclaim April 2022 As Sexual Assault Awareness Month and I encourage all citizens of Sebastopol to commit to ending sexual violence by working to eliminate the conditions that cause or tolerate it.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and the Great Seal of the City of Sebastopol this 5th day of April 2022.
Copy for April 5th City Council Packet
PATRICK SLAYTER, MAYOR