Local leaders, Mayor William Faser and Village President David Schulz, have proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in the City of Petoskey and the Village of Bellaire, respectively. They join President Obama and Michigan’s Governor Snyder who have also made similar proclamations.

“Many thanks to the Village of Bellaire and the City of Petoskey for proclaiming April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month,” said Chris Krajewski, Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan’s Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Program Director.  “It’s time for all of us to start conversations on this pervasive issue to bring about the awareness and understanding that will ultimately help create a safer environment for everyone.”

An excerpt of the Presidential Proclamation states:
“For more than two centuries, progress has been won by ordinary citizens — women and men who joined arms and marched toward justice. This month, we are once again reminded that we can change our culture for the better by standing together against the quiet tolerance of sexual assault and refusing to accept the unacceptable.

Nearly one in five women in America has been a victim of rape or attempted rape. Every year, too many women and too many men are sexually assaulted and abused. This is an affront to our basic decency and humanity, and it must end. Sexual assault harms our communities, weakens the foundation of our Nation, and hurts those we love most. For survivors, the awful pain can take years to heal — sometimes it never does. When an individual’s possibilities are limited by the scars of violence and abuse, our country is deprived of enormous potential. Sexual assault takes a collective toll on all of us, and it is everyone’s responsibility not only to speak out, but also to take action against this injustice.

It’s on parents and caregivers to teach their children to respect and value others. It’s on teammates, classmates, and colleagues to recognize sexual misconduct and intervene to stop it. It’s on all of us to work for the change we need to shift the attitudes and behaviors that allow sexual assault to go unnoticed, unreported, and unpunished. During National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, let us commit to being part of the solution and rededicate ourselves to creating a society where violence is not tolerated, survivors are supported, and all people are able to pursue their fullest measure of happiness without fear of abuse or assault.”