PRINTER'S NO. 1107
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
924
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY MUTH, L. WILLIAMS, TARTAGLIONE, HAYWOOD, HUGHES,
KEARNEY, COMITTA, CAPPELLETTI, KANE, FONTANA, COLLETT AND
SANTARSIERO, SEPTEMBER 19, 2023
REFERRED TO VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
SEPTEMBER 19, 2023
AN ACT
Amending Title 38 (Holidays and Observances) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in veteran recognition, providing for
Military Sexual Trauma Awareness Day.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 38 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
ยง 1306. Military Sexual Trauma Awareness Day.
(a) Legislative findings and declarations.--The General
Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) This Commonwealth must raise awareness of military
sexual trauma and the resources available through the
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the United
States Department of Veterans Affairs for survivors of
military sexual trauma.
(2) According to statistics from the United States
Department of Veterans Affairs, one in three women and one in
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50 men report experiencing sexual harassment or sexual
assault during military service when asked by a United States
Department of Veterans Affairs health care provider.
(3) Any individual in the military can experience
military sexual assault, regardless of the individual's age,
race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, physical
abilities or branch of service.
(4) Military sexual trauma can occur at any time or
place during military service, whether on or off duty and on
or off base.
(5) The psychological impact of military sexual trauma
and the resulting trauma can push survivors out of military
service and lead to tremendous difficulty readjusting to
their civilian lives.
(6) The United States Department of Defense Annual
Report on Sexual Assault in the Military, Fiscal Year 2021,
revealed in stark detail that sexual assault and sexual
harassment remain persistent and distressing problems in the
military.
(7) Service member sexual assault reports increased by
13% in 2021, compared to the 2020 report.
(8) Shame and stigma create a barrier to reporting
sexual assault.
(9) On average, only one out of every three sexual
assault survivors come forward to report the assault.
(10) Even though women make up only 20% of the United
States Armed Forces members, they are the target of 63% of
sexual assaults.
(11) Sexual assault in the military is not only a
women's issue, and more than 100,000 men have been sexually
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assaulted in the military in recent decades.
(12) In today's military, military sexual assault
survivors are often forgotten and often decide not to report
the assault for the reasons of embarrassment, fear and shame
and professional and personal implications.
(13) The military's culture of duty, teamwork, strength
and accomplishment conflicts with military sexual assault
survivors' needs, resulting in the sexual survivors being
stigmatized as weak or failing fellow service members.
(14) The uniqueness of military life causes additional
anxiety to a sexual assault survivor and complicates the
survivor's life, which may result in lack of promotion or
removal from service.
(15) The personal stories of survivors underscore the
need for meaningful change to provide healing to those
affected by military sexual assault trauma through adequate
medical and mental health services.
(b) Designation.--November 9 of each year is designated as
Military Sexual Trauma Awareness Day.
(c) Proclamation.--The Governor shall issue annually a
proclamation encouraging residents of this Commonwealth to
observe Military Sexual Trauma Awareness Day, honor the
strength, resolve and perseverance of military sexual assault
survivors and work urgently to end sexual violence in the
military.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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