Acknowledging and discussing the prevalence of sexual assault creates opportunities to act, to assist, to educate, and to collaborate. The President’s most recent budget is a testament to your efforts -- and to his focus on reversing current trends. For Fiscal Year 2011, an increase of nearly $30 million was requested for our Office on Violence Against Women. The budget doubles funding – from $15 million to $30 million – for our Sexual Assault Services Program, which provides crisis intervention, criminal justice advocacy and support during forensic exams.

Quoting Associate Attorney General Perrelli: “this year is not merely a commemoration of an anniversary. It is the time to recommit ourselves to ending sexual and domestic violence. Our government and this Department have a responsibility to speak out and act on issues of violence against women. Far too many communities in the United States and around the world are affected by this issue and it must stop. One of the messages that we have sought to carry thoughout the 15th anniversary of VAWA is that sexual and domestic violence are not just issues for the victim, or his or her family. They are everyone’s problem. It cannot be the work of the Department of Justice alone, or the criminal system, or state government. Leaders at all levels in the public and private sectors and each community must take an active role in defining their response to sexual assault and domestic violence.”

In attendance and listening to the challenge issues by Susan Carbon, new Director of the Office on Violence Against Women are from left to right: Kim Worthy, District Attorney Wayne County, Michigan; Nicole Matthews, Minnesota Indian Women's Sexual Assault Coalition; Joyce Lukima, Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape; Bonnie Brandl, National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL) - Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence; and Monika Johnson Hostler, National Alliance to End Sexual Violence. Carbon’s challenge: “This is an important occasion with a most serious purpose. We are here today for three reasons: (1) to shed light on the scope and nature of the effects of sexual violence; (2) to celebrate and honor survivors and those working to end sexual violence; and finally to issue a call to action for individuals and communities to learn more about sexual violence, to understand its impact on society, and to take a stand against it. I want everyone to own this problem – and do something to resolve it.”

Catherine Pierce, now a senior advisor with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, was with the Office on Violence Against Women since its creation. Under her guidance one of the many innovative projects the Office created was a new Sexual Assault Demonstration Project to enhance sexual assault services in primarily rural areas throughout the nation.

The program was one of celebration of progress made to date, reflection on the scale of this problem and its terrible cost, and a renewed commitment to expand current efforts and effectiveness. Research shows that nearly 19 million women and 3 million men have experienced at least one incident of sexual assault.