title
A resolution recognizing the month of April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in Nashville and Davidson County.
body
WHEREAS, freedom from sexual assault is a basic human right; and
WHEREAS, sexual violence affects all people, regardless of geography, race, age, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or economic background; and
WHEREAS, Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) is an annual campaign to raise public awareness about sexual assault and educate communities on how to prevent sexual violence; and
WHEREAS, April 2023 marks the official 22nd anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month; and
WHEREAS, the theme of this year’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month is “Drawing Connections: Prevention Demands Equity”, and it calls on all individuals, communities, organizations, and institutions to change ourselves and the systems surrounding us to build racial equity and respect; and
WHEREAS, Denim Day is also a part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month campaign and will be recognized on Wednesday, April 26th this year; and
WHEREAS, the Denim Day campaign began in response to a 1999 Italian Supreme Court decision to overturn a rape conviction because the justices felt that the victim’s tight jeans implied consent; and
WHEREAS, what started as a local campaign to bring awareness to sexual assault victim blaming has grown into a worldwide movement that asks communities to make a social statement with their fashion statement by wearing jeans on Denim Day as a visible means of protest against the misconceptions that surround sexual violence; and
WHEREAS, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC):
• More than 1 in 4 non-Hispanic Black women (29%) in the U.S. were raped in their lifetime; and
• More than 4 in 5 American Indian and Alaska Native women (84.3%) have experienced violence in their lifetime; and
• 1 in 3 Hispanic women (34.8%) reported unwanted sexual contact in their lifetime; and
• 32.9% of adults with intellectual disabilities have experienced sexual violence; and
• 47% of all transgender people have been sexually assaulted at some point in their lives; and
WHEREAS, systems of oppression such as racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, ageism, ableism, and others contribute to higher rates of sexual harassment, assault, and abuse; and
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Council recognizes that it will take ending all forms of oppression to end sexual violence worldwide; and
WHEREAS, drawing connections between ourselves, history, and the world around us is necessary for changing the future; and
WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that the Metropolitan Council recognizes April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and encourages all citizens to take action to prevent sexual violence.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:
Section 1. The Metropolitan Council hereby goes on record as recognizing the month of April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in Nashville and Davidson County.
Section 2. This Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.