Sample SAAM Activites

The NSVRC encourages all agencies, programs, and coalitions to plan SAAM activities and events throughout the month of April, and if possible, throughout the year. To assist you in SAAM planning the NSVRC provides a variety of ideas collected from advocates in this section. Some are relatively easy to plan and may not require a lot of time or resources; others require more lead-time, planning, and resources. The scale of each event may be adjusted to fit your needs and size of your community. We encourage collaboration when conducting and promoting events. Additionally, we recommend partnering with local media outlets to cover or promote your events.

We also encourage you to visit the SAAM events calendar on the NSVRC website for a review of planned activities from across the nation. As always, we suggest that you check with your state, territory, or tribal coalition to see if they are coordinating any events.

Poetry Slam
Walk a Mile in Her Shoes
Tree/Flower Planting Ceremony
Clothesline Project
Partner with a Local Restaurant
Open House
Radio and Television Ads
Using Public Fountains
Library Events
Mock Trial
Take Back the Night

Poetry Slam
Poetry Slams have become increasingly popular since they began in the 1980s. Poetry Slams are events in which poets perform their work and are judged on their writing and performance, encouraging poets to focus on what they're saying and how they're saying it. In April 2006, the NSVRC encouraged programs to sponsor SAAM Poetry Slams in their communities, with an emphasis on the awareness and prevention of sexual violence.

These events can be large or small; however, we recommend that you begin planning this event four to five months prior to the event date. You may partner with campus organizations and local colleges to locate a venue for the event. University English and Performing Arts Departments may be interested in co-sponsoring the event. Ask local businesses to sponsor your event. Additionally, invite your local media to advertise and cover the event. Finally, you may wish to partner with your local radio stations for DJs, judges, and hosts.

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes
Walk a Mile in Her Shoes events have become very popular and have grown each year since 2001, when Frank Baird first proposed Walk a Mile in Her Shoes: Men's March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault and Gender Violence to the Valley Trauma Center in California. These marches are designed to benefit rape crisis centers, but also provide a fun opportunity for men to educate the community about sexual violence. These events also rally the community to discuss the connection between gender relations and sexual violence and to take action to prevent sexual violence. During the marches, men walk one mile in women’s high-heeled shoes to help men gain a better understanding and appreciation of women’s experiences. They also promote healing, as they demonstrate that men are willing and able to be courageous partners with women in making the world a safer place.

While these events can be large or small, we encourage you to begin planning at least three months prior to the event date. You may partner with male groups on college campuses, especially fraternities, or male leaders in your community. Consider partnering with local businesses to provide women’s shoes. You may also invite your local media to cover the event. Finally, be sure to check with your local law enforcement official regarding legal status of your event and safety issues. See the organization's official website at www.walkamileinhershoes.org for more information.

Tree/Flower Planting Ceremony
Tree and flower planting ceremonies during Sexual Assault Awareness Month serve a dual purpose. They give recognition to those who have been sexually assaulted in our communities and help counteract pollution in our environment. These events provide the community an opportunity to honor a relative, friend, or other victim and/or survivor with the new life of a tree or plant. These ceremonies may be held in conjunction with Arbor Week, Earth Day or Arbor Day (also during April), and provide excellent opportunities for you to partner with local home improvement businesses and greenhouses. You may consider asking these companies to donate trees or flowers to plant during your event.

We encourage you to begin planning at least three months prior to the event date. These events may take place in local parks, on college campuses, or in communities. You may need to contact local officials or campus administrators to find out what their procedure is for approving such events in your area. Finally, inviting public officials and knowledgeable speakers may bring more media attention to your event.

Clothesline Project
Sponsoring a Clothesline Project event can be a very effective means of raising awareness about sexual violence. The Clothesline Project is a program started in Cape Cod, MA, in 1990 to address the issue of violence against women. It began as a vehicle for women affected by violence to express their emotions by decorating a shirt. They then hang the shirt on a clothesline to be viewed by others as a reminder of the problem of violence against women. Today, Clothesline Projects take place across the country and provide awareness about sexual and domestic violence, hate crimes, and child abuse. Many communities have developed culturally-specific Clothesline Projects (i.e,. Asian Clothesline Project in MA). Most events include a shirt-making session, held in conjunction with a display of recently or previously created shirts. Alternatively, you might arrange to display previously created T-shirts. The shirts are often color-coded to denote the form of abuse and whether or not the victim survived the abuse they experienced. Visit the official Clothesline Project website here.

While these events can be large or small, we encourage organizers to begin planning at least six months prior to the event date. You may also consider asking local businesses to provide the shirts and other supplies for this event.

Partner with a Local Restaurant
There is a range of ways you can incorporate a local restaurant into your SAAM activities. Find a local restaurant that will provide an organizational discount and then host a corporate/legislative breakfast to (re)introduce your agency and board to the community. Another possibility is to ask for a small percent of the profits on “A Day to End Sexual Violence” as a charitable donation. Or, ask if you may put brochures or teal awareness ribbon pins near the cash register. You may want to produce a napkin or placemat with awareness information and ask the restaurant to use them on “A Day to End Sexual Violence.” Finally, ask if you may hang awareness posters in a public area of the restaurant.

Open House
Having an open house reception can be a simple but effective way to raise awareness of sexual assault and of your agency/program’s role in the community. An open house provides an opportunity for you to raise your profile in the community and to provide valuable information. You can place brochures, signs and educational information on a table as well as provide information about volunteer opportunities.

The open house can be as simple or elaborate as you wish. Your staff may decide to provide snacks and refreshments. If your budget permits, you may choose to have a catered reception. Invite your board members and local public officials and, of course, find some way to get the word out to the public. See the section below about radio and television for ideas. You many also want to invite school administrators, guidance counselors, local businesses, and the chamber of commerce. If possible, send out invitations in addition to a general public announcement on the radio and community bulletin. Finally, you may want to include some high-profile officials and speakers. Just remember, even a small open house will provide a large opportunity for raising awareness.

Radio and Television Ads
Raise awareness of your organization by posting event announcements on your local public access television station. Also consider contacting your local radio station — including college radio stations —to ask for free or reduced cost creation and/or airing of public service announcements. Another option is to secure time on a public affairs show to discuss the issues and your organization’s services. Reaching community members with your message through radio and television stations does not need to be expensive to be effective.

Using Public Fountains
There may be a number of public fountains in your community, especially if you live in a larger city. You may consider contacting your local officials to ask if the water in the fountains can be colored teal during the month of April (using a special safe dye). This will raise many questions throughout your community. Be sure to provide information about the activity to the community, explaining what the color means and how community members can prevent sexual violence.

We encourage organizers to begin planning at least four months prior to the event date. You may wish to invite public officials to a ceremony, where they may present the fountains, proclamations, and/or awards. You may also consider having your local media and government website post an article on the fountains and Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Library Events
Partnering with your local library can provide you with several low-cost opportunities. Set up a display with relevant books, films, brochures, and other materials. Focus on the issue and your organization’s services. Consider hosting an author or poet’s reading of her/his sexual violence-related work(s). Offer prevention education programming to children by reading books on and discussing good and bad touching and self-esteem. You may develop bookmarks for distribution in the library.

Mock Trial
Mock Sexual Assault Trials are used across the country to educate communities about the legal process and address myths and facts about sexual assault. Mock Trials are condensed re-creations of actual or imaginary trials. This dramatic style of presentation enables an organization to pull in judicial representatives, theater groups, students, and a wide variety of community members. Mock trials have been used to train first responders about their role in the criminal justice process and inform survivors of what might be involved in pursuing criminal charges. Some communities have adapted the mock trial to explore the campus judicial hearing process.

Developing a mock trial takes time; we suggest allowing at least three months for planning. Mock trials rely on a script, actors/community members, and good marketing. If you do not have the time to develop your own script, videos and scripts are available from the NSVRC for adaptation. Local service providers such as police, judges, attorneys, and forensic examiners make for great actors. You may be able to hold the mock trial in your area courthouse, town hall, or educational institution. Mock juries often struggle with the same issues as actual jury members, providing real insight into the process for community members. Some organizations have included a video, script, or scene to depict the events leading up the sexual assault as a way to close the presentation, no matter what decision the jury reaches.

Take Back the Night
Take Back the Night (TBTN) is an international phenomenon that began in the early 1970s in Germany in response to a series of sexual assaults and murders. Local communities in the United States, Canada, Latin America, India, and Europe have been organizing TBTN marches and rallies since the late 1970s to unify individuals in the stand against violence in their communities.

As activism has grown over the years, this public event has been adapted to meet individual community needs. Consider your unique community priorities when encouraging participants and planning this event. While these events can be large or small, we encourage organizers to begin planning several months prior to the event date. TBTN can include a candlelight vigil, a rally, a survivor Speakout, and a public march. Many organizations have incorporated the arts into their event with banner-making contests, musical performances, poetry and exhibits. Be sure to check with your local law enforcement official regarding the legal status of your event and safety issues. For more information on planning a TBTN event, see the official website at www.takebackthenight.org.