Child Abuse Prevention & Awareness Month & Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Month Proclamations

WHEREAS, 6.3 million Texans have experienced some form of sexual assault in their lifetime and

WHEREAS, 2 in 5 women and 1 in 5 men in Texas have been sexually assaulted in their lifetime affecting all races, ages, genders and economic situations; and

WHEREAS, the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center provided direct services to 660 adult victims of sexual assault in Hays and Caldwell Counties last year; and

WHEREAS, the City of Kyle is intolerant of sexual violence in any form and recognizes that education and awareness may prevent sexual assault; and

WHEREAS, efforts to reduce sexual assault can only be successful through citizen involvement, and the safety of the citizens of the City of Kyle depends upon our actions to end sexual assault;

THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KYLE, TEXAS, does hereby proclaim April, 2023, as

SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS & PREVENTION MONTH

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Seal of Kyle, Texas, this 4^th day of April, 2023.

WHEREAS, more than 62,525 cases of child abuse and neglect were confirmed in Texas in 2022 resulting in 9,623 children in foster care in Texas and the death of 165 children in Texas in 2022; and

WHEREAS, 363 children were confirmed victims of abuse in Hays county in 2022; and

WHEREAS, child abuse prevention is a community responsibility and finding solutions depends on involvement among all people; and 2022 was an especially trying time for children who are unsafe in their homes. Through the perseverance of our many community organizations working daily to end child abuse, we continually served children throughout the pandemic.

WHEREAS, locally, representatives from Hays County Child Protective Board, Hays County District Attorney’s Office, Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center and Roxanne’s House, Greater San Marcos Youth Council, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), San Marcos, Buda and Kyle Police Departments, Hays County Sheriff’s Office, and Christus Santa Rosa- San Marcos have joined forces to provide preventive and supportive services to child victims and their families; and        

WHEREAS, every child in Kyle deserves to be safe, nurtured and supported in caring relationships; and

THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KYLE, TEXAS, does hereby proclaim the month of April 2023 as

Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month

And hereby call upon the citizens of Kyle to work together to raise awareness and prevent child abuse in our community and beyond.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Seal of the City of Kyle, Texas, this 4^th day of April, 2023.

Travis Mitchell, Mayor

Bear Heiser, Council District 1

Yvonne Flores-Cale, Council District 2

Miguel Zuniga, Council District 3

Ashlee Bradshaw, Council District 4

Daniela Parsley, Council District 5

Michael Tobias, Mayor Pro Tem, Council District 6