This week, The United States Senate passed a bipartisan resolution presented by Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif). 

The resolution comes in support of National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. 

“Facing the trauma of sexual assault can seem insurmountable, and survivors deserve the comfort of knowing they are not alone. So it’s important that we take steps to bring attention to the services and support available to survivors, and honor them by doing all we can to prevent future offenses. This resolution shines a bright light on the scourge of these ugly crimes and encourages communities to come together to support survivors,” Grassley said.

Feinstein also made remarks about the resolution about empowering victims to speak out, stating,” A sexual assault occurs almost every minute in the United States, but most will go unreported. Our resolution will help raise awareness, combat this problem and lift the stigma that prevents too many victims from coming forward.”

The issue of victims of sexual assault in minority communities was also addressed in the resolution by groups such as the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN).

“We look forward to working with Congress to increase survivors’ access to trauma-informed care in the aftermath of an assault, to protect children on the internet, and to ensure that every survivor who chooses to report has access to the criminal justice system,” said RAINN in a statement.