April & sexual assault awareness

*Content Warning: Mention of Sexual Assault and Rape*

Although April first signifies April Fool’s Day to many and nothing more, the beginning of April means a lot more to people like me. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (shortened to SAAM) and was officially recognized in 2001, after advocates had been fighting for sexual assault awareness and prevention for decades. Women of color largely organized the fight for awareness and prevention of sexual violence, dating back to the civil rights era. These women took a stance against the status quo and advocated for the end of race and gender based violence (History of Sexual Assault Awareness Month). 

A teal ribbon is used to symbolize solidarity for survivors and an allyship. This color was picked back in 2000 when the National Sexual Violence Resource Center and the Resource Sharing Project worked with other sexual violence coalitions to determine what color best represented the movement (History of Sexual Assault Awareness Month). Thus, SAAM and the teal ribbon are created to stand with survivors and raise awareness about sexual violence. 

It is important to raise awareness about sexual violence, especially on a college campus. SAAM allows us to create that awareness and to really show the importance of education for those who aren’t aware of the impact or prevalence of sexual violence on a college campus and the importance of solidarity with the people who have experienced any form of sexual violence. 

You may be asking, what does sexual violence even mean or how relevant is that to my campus anyway?

-Sexual Violence is a sexual act committed against a person without their freely given consent. This can have obvious signs like rape or forced participation but it also can be stalking, unsolicited photos, and even catcalling. Nearly one in five women and one in sixteen men will experience rape at college (College Campus Sexual Assault Statistics). Despite the amount of people who are affected by sexual assault, only roughly four percent of survivors choose to report these incidents.

The importance of SAAM is not only to educate those who are unaware of the prevalence of this issue but also to show support for survivors, whether they reported or not. Many events prioritize the survivors who did not feel like they could speak out against their perpetrators. For example, The Clothesline Project, which started in 1992 at JMU, is hosted yearly at the end of March to highlight survivor stories of sexual violence and partner violence (The Clothesline Project). 

(ALT TEXT: Above is a photo of a woman and a man standing in between two clotheslines with three levels of shirts. These shirts are in a variety of colors, with individual survivor stories written on each one.)

Another great event for survivors and allies is Take Back the Night. The first Take Back the Night event was hosted in San Francisco in 1978. To this day, Take Back the Night is used to highlight real survivors and show the importance of SAAM. The event is hosted by Victim Advocacy on April 16th from 6-8 pm. This event starts with a survivor telling their story to speak out against sexual violence. Many survivors typically speak and share their experiences, creating a broader scope of the prevalence of sexual violence.

(ALT TEXT: A dark background with two flowers with the event name “Take Back The Night”. The photo also contains details of the event mentioned above for the time and date. The event is located in Hartman Hall, Room 2021, as depicted in the photo.)

Students Against Sexual Violence (SASV) also work towards raising awareness during the month of April. The organization works year-round raising awareness through survivor empowerment, policy changes, and education work on sexual violence. Currently, the organization is hosting a “Why I Didn’t Report” form on their social media to raise awareness on how many survivors do not report, breaking their silence and shedding light on what they were experiencing emotionally and mentally during that time. The organization hosts several fundraisers throughout the month to raise money to support survivors on campus and in Harrisonburg as well as having events on campus to show solidarity with survivors and spread awareness.

Below is the SASV calendar for the month of April. The organization will host events every week and almost every day to fight for survivors and ensure that no voice is left unheard.

(ALT TEXT: The photo is a calendar for April showing what events will take place during SAAM with SASV. The events are Spirit Rock Painting on April 3rd, SAAM Slam on April 8th, CHOICES Fundraiser on April 15th, Take Back the Night on April 16th, Flags on the Quad from the 22nd to the 24th, and Denim Day on the 24th of April.)

Below are a few resources for anyone who has experienced or knows someone who has experienced sexual assault. These resources are provided through JMU and are confidential.

Victim Advocacy – This source leads to a page full of resources that are helpful to anyone in need of assistance, no matter if you want to report or not.

Title IX – This source details Title IX, what your rights are under Title IX, and what they can do to help you.

Sexual Trauma Empowerment Program– This source is for counseling and can also provide resources for survivors. They provide individual, group, and emergency counseling.
1-800-656-4673– This number is the National Sexual Assault Hotline and is available 24 hours a day.