BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SCR 39
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 5, 2005

                             ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON RULES
                                Cindy Monta?ez, Chair
                    SCR 39 (Alquist) - As Amended:  April 21, 2005

           SENATE VOTE  :   36-0
           
          SUBJECT  :   Sexual Assault Awareness Month

           SUMMARY  :   Resolves that the month of April be designated  
          henceforth as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.  Specifically,  
           this resolution  makes the following legislative findings: 

           1) In California, there were 9,918 forcible rapes reported in  
             2003 and it is estimated by the Bureau of Justice Statistics  
             that over 70 percent of rapes are never reported to police.

           2) Sixty-seven percent of all victims of sexual assault  
             reported to law enforcement agencies were under 18 years of  
             age, 34 percent of all victims were under 12 years of age,  
             and one of every seven victims were under six years of age.

           3) Rape and sexual assault impacts women, children, and men of  
             all racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds; and victims  
             suffer multiple types of sexual violence resulting in  
             physical and emotional costs including posttraumatic stress  
             disorder, substance abuse, major depression, homelessness,  
             eating disorders, and suicide.

           4) There are rape prevention and education efforts underway  
             throughout California to challenge the societal myths and  
             behaviors that perpetuate rape and to engage communities in a  
             common goal of ending sexual assault.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :   None

           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :

           Support 
           
          None on file.
           
            Opposition 
           








                                                                  SCR 39
                                                                  Page  2

          None on file.


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Anna McCabe / RLS. / (916) 319-2800