April is National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. The goal is to raise public awareness about sexual violence, focusing on sexual assault and rape, while at the same time, educating communities and individuals about how to prevent such horrific acts.

The statistics are extremely disturbing. Every two and a half minutes, somewhere in America, another person is sexually assaulted. But the story connected to sexual assault is so much more than numbers on a page. Over the years I have heard personal stories from many victims. The first-hand account can be both shocking and heart wrenching. 

No one should ever have to endure the pain and suffering that accompanies sexual assault. Whether at the hands of a stranger, or worse yet, a trusted family member, the physical and emotional scars never heal. Sex offenders prey on those who can’t defend themselves, many times targeting vulnerable children. 

To put an end to these horrific crimes, police, prosecutors and legislators must all work as a team. By joining together, we can send a clear message to sex offenders, and let them know that their days are numbered. To that end, I recently introduced comprehensive new legislation aimed at increasing penalties for convicted sex offenders to ensure those who commit such heinous crimes are sentenced appropriately.