31-03-2025
Gov. Stein declares April Sexual Assault Awareness Month in N.C.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCT) — On Friday, Mar. 28, 2025, Governor Stein proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
On April 1, North Carolinians are encouraged to join others around the country by wearing teal and sharing supportive content across social media using #WearTealDay and #SAAM2025.
'This month we recognize the survivors of sexual assault in our state. Last year we cleared the backlog of older sexual assault kits in our state, but there is more work to be done,' Governor Josh Stein said. 'That is why I have called on the General Assembly to fund a sexual assault cold case unit – because it is never too late to hold a perpetrator accountable or get justice for a victim of this heinous crime.'
Approximately 81% of women and 43% of men experience sexual assault and/or harassment in their lifetime, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.
'Nobody should be subjected to such horrific acts, so the fact that four out of five women and nearly half of men in this country experience sexual assault or harassment at some point in their lives should raise alarm bells for all of us,' North Carolina Department of Administration's Secretary Gabriel J. Esparza said. 'We must continue to educate communities on the importance of consent and to be aware of the signs of sexual abuse.'
During the 2023-24 fiscal year, more than 8,500 people in North Carolina used the services provided by the CFWYI-funded rape crisis center following an experience of sexual violence. This number includes 1,577 children under the age of 18 and more than 27,400 crisis calls and chats. Only 4% of victims reported being assaulted by a stranger.
The NC Department of Administration's Council for Women and Youth Involvement (CFWYI) helps to combat such issues, funding sexual assault programs in 96 counties in our state and offering counseling, 24-hour crisis lines, transportation, and court and advocacy services.
While serving as Attorney General, Governor Stein has prioritized clearing the backlog of untested rape kits across the state. His budget proposal calls for creating a unit of investigators to solve sexual assault cold cases.
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