President Trump proclaimed Friday that April will be National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.
“Sexual assault crimes remain tragically common in our society, and offenders too often evade accountability,” Trump said in a proclamation shared by the office of the White House press secretary. “These heinous crimes are committed indiscriminately: in intimate relationships, in public spaces, and in the workplace.”
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Trump said his administration is committed to raising awareness about sexual violence and spoke of the importance of enabling victims to feel secure enough to reach out to law enforcement and open up to friends and family.
“Through a concerted effort to better educate ourselves, empower victims, and punish criminals, our Nation will move closer to ending the grief, fear, and suffering caused by sexual assult [sic],” Trump said. “The prevention of sexual violence is everyone’s concern.”
Trump’s proclamation was met with contempt by some who noted that he has been accused by several women over the years for sexual assault and misconduct and has faced controversy for lewd comments he has made about certain women.
For instance, Randy Bryce, a Democrat in Wisconsin running to “repeal and replace” House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., in 2018, tweeted at Trump, sharing a CNN list of 19 different women who have accused him of sexual assault or harassment.
Hey @realDonaldTrump. Here’s some awareness. 19 different women have accused you of sexual harassment or assault.https://t.co/oHJVjxw3gh
— Randy Bryce (@IronStache) March 31, 2018
The Trump administration was also hit by a domestic abuse scandal earlier this year, involving ex-staff secretary Rob Porter.
Sexual Assault Awareness Month has been recognized in the U.S. since 2001, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.
