WHEREAS, sexual assault impacts all communities in Maine, and people of all races, genders, and economic backgrounds; and

WHEREAS, over 19,000 people in Maine are sexually assaulted each year and one in five Maine citizens will experience sexual violence in their lifetime; and  

WHEREAS, the impacts of sexual violence have wide-ranging public health ramifications and societal costs, and survivors and their loved ones can experience consequences including mental health crises, substance use disorder, homelessness, lost wages, high healthcare costs, and others; and 

WHEREAS, systems of support for survivors of sexual assault are often under-resourced and do not provide adequate options for justice and healing; and

WHEREAS, widespread stigma and misconceptions around sexual violence result in low rates of reporting of crimes, increased isolation and shame of victims, and the continuation of violence; and   

WHEREAS, raising awareness in our communities about the causes and responses to sexual violence can lead to long-term positive changes, and building a future free from sexual violence requires us to commit to making changes;

NOW THEREFORE, be it resolved that I, Janet T. Mills, Governor of the State of Maine, do hereby proclaim the month of April 2024 as

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

throughout the State of Maine, and I urge all citizens to recognize the importance of working together to educate our communities about sexual violence prevention, support survivors, and speak out against harmful attitudes and actions.

In testimony whereof, I have caused the Great Seal of the State to be hereunto affixed GIVEN under my hand at Augusta this tenth day of April Two Thousand Twenty-Four