April 6, 2015

Rep. Case signs Susan B. Anthony pledge to end sexual violence

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HARTFORD – State Rep. Jay Case (R-63) today pledged to do his part in ending sexual violence, formally acknowledging his stance against sexual assault, as part of the Connecticut Sexual Assault Crisis Services’ (ConnSACS) Where Do You Stand? joint campaign with Men Can Stop Rape (MCSR).

Partnering with Torrington’s Susan B. Anthony Project, the Where Do You Stand? Connecticut campaign asks men to sign a pledge to “Be my best self,” “Engage other men,” “Speak Up,” “Challenge other men,” and “Participate.” The campaign seeking active bystanders runs through the month of April, coinciding with National Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

“Sexual violence must end,” Rep. Case said. “I am committed to eradicating it in our community. But legislation can only go so far. We need to educate young people, especially men, about rape, child abuse, exploitation and sexual harassment, and raise a generation that refuses to engage in repugnant sexual abuses.”

Rep. Case said he will be sharing his pledge with fellow male lawmakers and actively educating young men in his community about preventing sexual violence.

To sign the pledge, you can click here.

In the Connecticut legislature, we have been working tirelessly to improve the lives of victims of rape, child abuse, exploitation and sexual harassment, and taking preventative steps to curb sexual violence. But legislation won’t fix everything. Communities, campuses, parents and friends need to be active in education and prevention.

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) has a number of resources and tools available to you, your children, your schools and your community.

By the Numbers

This is a gendered form of violence. About one in five women (18.3 percent) and one in 71 men (1.4 percent) in the U.S. have been raped at some time in their lives.
79 percent of female victims of rape report that they were first raped before age 25.
28 percent of male victims of rape report that they were first raped at age 10 or younger.
A 63 percent majority of sexual crimes are never reported to police.

In our Towns

There are organizations partnering with the NSVRC in our state: one in Canton and another in East Hartford.

In Torrington, the Susan B. Anthony Project is hosting a candlelight vigil April 23 at Northwestern Connecticut Community College. The vigil starts at 6:30 p.m.