Sexual Assault Awareness Month Overview Sexual assault awareness Month at a Glance • In the United States, April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). • The goal of SAAM is to raise public awareness about sexual violence and educate communities on how to prevent it. • This year, SAAM is celebrating its 17th anniversary with the theme “Embrace Your Voice” to inform individuals on how they can use their words to promote safety, respect, and equality to stop sexual violence before it happens. • Individuals can embrace their voices to show their support for survivors, stand up to victim blaming, shut down rape jokes, correct harmful misconceptions, promote everyday consent, and practice healthy communications with children. • We know that one month isn’t enough to solve the serious and widespread issue of sexual violence. However, the attention April generates is an opportunity to energize and expand prevention efforts throughout the year. What is Sexual Violence? • Sexual violence is a broad term and includes: rape, incest, child sexual abuse, intimate partner violence, sexual exploitation, human trafficking, unwanted sexual contact, sexual harassment, exposure, and voyeurism. • Sexual assault is a serious and widespread problem. — Nearly 1 in 5 women in the United States have experienced rape or attempted rape some time in their lives, and 1 in 67 American men have experienced rape or attempted rape.1 • Sexual violence occurs when someone is forced or manipulated into unwanted sexual activity without their consent. — Consent means permission for something to happen or agreement to do something. — Reasons someone might not consent to sexual activity include fear, age, illness, disability, and/or influence of alcohol or drugs. • Anyone can experience sexual violence, including children, teens, adults, and seniors. • Those who sexually abuse can be acquaintances, family, trusted individuals, or strangers; of these, the first three are most common. About Sexual Violence + Prevention • The good news is that prevention is possible, and it’s happening. — Individuals, communities, and the private sector are already successfully combating the risk of sexual violence through conversations, programs, policies, and research-based tools that promote safety, respect, and equality. — By promoting safe behaviors, thoughtful policies, and healthy relationships, we can create safe and equitable communities where every person is treated with respect. • We are in a watershed moment. — With the country focused on this very important issue, we have an unprecedented opportunity to improve understanding and change behaviors. The time to rally communities and the broader public is now. saaM FaQ What is the hashtag? #SAAM What is the official color of SAAM? Teal is the official color of SAAM. The teal ribbon is the symbol of sexual violence prevention. How do I order SAAM products? You can purchase SAAM products such as stickers, palm cards, teal ribbon temporary tattoos, and more at the NSVRC Store: bit.ly/NSVRCstore Are there free SAAM resources available? Yes! The SAAM website (www.nsvrc.org/saam) provides free share graphics, printable posters, event planning guides, and more! How can I get involved? Use the Campaign Guide, Beginner’s Guide to SAAM Event Planning blog series (bit.ly/SAAMBlogSeries), and planning guides to determine the best way to start a SAAM campaign in your community. What is the NSVRC? The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) is the leading nonprofit in providing information and tools to prevent and respond to sexual violence. NSVRC translates research and trends into best practices that help individuals, communities, and service providers achieve real and lasting change. The center also works with the media to promote informed reporting. Every April, NSVRC leads SAAM, a campaign to educate and engage the public in addressing this widespread issue. Learn More • NSVRC’s media packet (http://bit.ly/2BldBZT) provides in-depth information and statistics on the complexities of this issue. • Contact us! We can connect you with the appropriate expert at NSVRC or a local field expert. The NSVRC team is available for interviews and is a resource for reporting on sexual violence. — 877-739-3895 — resources@nsvrc.org • Follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/nsvrc) and Twitter (twitter.com/nsvrc) and use #SAAM 1Black, M. C., Basile, K. C., Breiding, M. J., Smith, S. G., Walters, M. L., Merrick, M. T., ... Stevens, M. R. (2011). National Intimate Partner And Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 summary report. Retrieved from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/nisvs_report2010-a.pdf © 2017 National Sexual Violence Resource Center. All Rights Reserved.