AUSTIN, Texas - Governor Greg Abbott has issued a proclamation recognizing April 2022 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in Texas.
"To honor the courage of survivors across our state and stand with them in solidarity, we must continue advocating for survivors and raising awareness of sexual assault, supporting the individuals and organizations who work to prevent these crimes," reads the proclamation. "By working together, Texans can help end the terrible pain inflicted by sexual assault and help survivors and their loved ones find healing."
The governor's proclamation comes roughly six months after Abbott said Texas will work to "eliminate all rapists." The statement was made during a press briefing in September 2021 in response to a question about Senate Bill 8, also known as the Heartbeat Act.
The governor was responding to a question about why he would sign a bill that forces a victim to carry her rapists’ baby to term. "It doesn’t require that at all, because, obviously, it provides at least six weeks for a person to be able to get an abortion," Abbott said in response.
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Governor Greg Abbott says Texas will 'eliminate all rapists'
At a news conference for the signing of the Texas voting bill into law, Governor Greg Abbott answered a question from the media about Senate Bill 8 also called the Heartbeat Act. The governor was responding to a question about why he would sign a bill that forces a victim to carry her rapists’ baby to term.
Texans are encouraged to honor survivors by using the hashtag #TXSexualAssaultAwarenessMonth to share their support on social media throughout the month of April, according to Abbott's proclamation.
"To honor the courage of survivors across our state and stand with them in solidarity, we must continue advocating for survivors and raising awareness of sexual assault, supporting the individuals and organizations who work to prevent these crimes," reads the proclamation. "By working together, Texans can help end the terrible pain inflicted by sexual assault and help survivors and their loved ones find healing."
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