WHEREAS
,
Everyone in our society is affected when we find that each year one in five girls and one in seven boys are sexually abused by the age of eighteen; and
WHEREAS
,
Experts recognize that 84% of sexual assault cases go unreported, despite the many committed, knowledgeable and caring organizations working hard to help these courageous children and their families, and
WHEREAS
,
Dozens of studies demonstrate the long-term and devastating harm sexual abuse has on the victims, their families and the community in which they live; and
WHEREAS
,
Adults, not children, must be responsible for preventing child sexual abuse requiring a public health approach to teach adults, including abusers and people that know them, new skills for questioning, challenging, preventing and stopping inappropriate sexual behavior by adults and adolescents; and
WHEREAS
,
STOP IT NOW! PHILADELPHIA
is a charitable organization that is part of a national movement dedicated to creating public awareness about the trauma of child sexual abuse with the ultimate mission of ending sexual abuse of children. STOP IT NOW! PHILADELPHIA is a city-wide initiative supported by many organizations and individuals, including The Joseph J. Peters Institute, The Philadelphia Children’s Alliance, The Institute for Safe Families, The Special Victims Unit of the Philadelphia Police Department, Women Organized Against Rape, The Department of Human Services, The Family Support Line of Delaware County and Support Children/Adult Network, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, On September 26, 2000 STOP IT NOW!PHILADELPHIA celebrates the commencement of its public awareness campaign in Philadelphia; now therefore
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby recognize September 26, 2000 as STOP IT NOW! Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Day in the City of Philadelphia, and extends Council’s best wishes to STOP IT NOW! PHILADELPHIA and all other organizations working to prevent sexual child abuse in our City.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to STOP IT NOW! PHILADELPHIA as a representation of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
End