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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| SENATE RESOLUTION |
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| INTRODUCED BY ORIE, WARD, WASHINGTON, MENSCH, VANCE, KITCHEN, ALLOWAY, ARGALL, BAKER, BREWSTER, BROWNE, COSTA, DINNIMAN, EARLL, ERICKSON, FERLO, FOLMER, FONTANA, FARNESE, GREENLEAF, KASUNIC, PILEGGI, PIPPY, RAFFERTY, ROBBINS, SOLOBAY, TARTAGLIONE, TOMLINSON, VOGEL, WAUGH, D. WHITE, WOZNIAK, YAW AND YUDICHAK, APRIL 5, 2011 |
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| INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, APRIL 5, 2011 |
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| A RESOLUTION |
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1 | Designating the month of April 2011 as "Child Abuse Prevention |
2 | Month" in Pennsylvania. |
3 | WHEREAS, Each year, more than one million children in the |
4 | United States are documented as the victims of child abuse, and |
5 | at least 1,500 children die as a result, with children under |
6 | four years of age accounting for 81% of the fatalities; and |
7 | WHEREAS, In 2009, 43 Pennsylvania children died as a result |
8 | of abuse and neglect, and there were 3,943 substantiated cases |
9 | of abuse; and |
10 | WHEREAS, Seventeen of the 43 Pennsylvania children who died |
11 | in 2009 as a result of abuse and neglect were under five years |
12 | of age and 19 of the children were under one year of age; and |
13 | WHEREAS, More than half of the perpetrators in 2009 were |
14 | relatives or household members; and |
15 | WHEREAS, In 2009 through 2010, the Pennsylvania Coalition |
16 | Against Rape network of 51 rape crisis centers provided services |
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1 | to more than 11,000 child victims of sexual violence and have |
2 | spent more than 59,000 hours in counseling and medical and court |
3 | accompaniment for these victims; and |
4 | WHEREAS, The damaging effects of child abuse include, but are |
5 | not limited to, school failure, alcohol and drug abuse and |
6 | physical and psychological difficulties; and |
7 | WHEREAS, Child abuse crosses all racial, economic and |
8 | geographic boundaries and has reached epidemic proportions |
9 | across this nation and throughout this Commonwealth; and |
10 | WHEREAS, Child abuse can and must be prevented and awareness |
11 | raised so that families learn they have access to community |
12 | resources which offer support, information and guidance to help |
13 | stop or prevent abusive behaviors or conditions; and |
14 | WHEREAS, Thousands of Pennsylvanians in schools, social |
15 | service agencies, churches and neighborhood groups throughout |
16 | this Commonwealth are working hard to nurture and support the |
17 | victims of child abuse and prevent future abuse; and |
18 | WHEREAS, The General Assembly enacted the Newborn Protection |
19 | Act, or Safe Haven Law, in 2002; and |
20 | WHEREAS, In 2003, an amendment to the Constitution of |
21 | Pennsylvania was approved by the electorate permitting child |
22 | victims and child material witnesses with the option of |
23 | testifying electronically; and |
24 | WHEREAS, In 2006, the General Assembly enacted a |
25 | comprehensive child abuse reform package (Act 179), including |
26 | updating the Child Protective Services Law and the lengthening |
27 | of the criminal statute of limitations for sexual offenses |
28 | against children; and |
29 | WHEREAS, In spite of these efforts, much more still needs to |
30 | be done to guarantee a childhood free of abuse and victimization |
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1 | to every child in this Commonwealth; therefore be it |
2 | RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the month of April 2011 |
3 | as "Child Abuse Prevention Month" in Pennsylvania; and be it |
4 | further |
5 | RESOLVED, That the Senate commend those persons who work to |
6 | treat and prevent child abuse in Pennsylvania and urge all |
7 | Pennsylvanians to do their part in preventing the tragedy of |
8 | child abuse. |
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