In Focus: April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month - Get Involved and Support Survivors!
April is recognized as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The purpose of the campaign is to raise public awareness about sexual violence and work to prioritize prevention through education and collective action.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month - Get Involved!
In 2023, the theme for SAAM is “Drawing connections: Prevention demands equity”. Thus, the SHARE Title IX Office’s SAAM programming and materials aim to integrate teaching about systems of oppression in our sexual violence prevention strategies. You can take part in well-known community programs like Take Back the Night on April 18 and Denim Day on April 26 which focus on publicly listening to survivors’ stories and debunking sexual assault myths, respectively. You can also attend other events throughout April which are listed here: saamatstanford.com/events
Each SAAM, the SHARE Office highlights communities that have worked to end sexual violence and support survivors. This year through the SHARE Supporters newsletter and on Instagram, we are centering Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit folks who experience disproportionate rates of violence on and off campus & the work Indigenous activists have done to prevent and address violence.
How You Can Support Survivors of Sexual Assault
Listening to survivors and centering their needs are key actions to take when supporting survivors who often value having someone else believe them. You can dig deeper and learn more trauma-informed ways to support a survivor by watching one or both of the videos in the Supporting Survivors video series.
Some confidential and mental health resources that you can refer survivors to include the Confidential Support Team (CST) and YWCA@Stanford. YWCA also offers advocacy services, so they can help survivors navigate the SHARE Title IX processes and the criminal justice processes. Additionally, this link provides ideas and resources when finding mental health support for BIPOC survivors.
Ways to Prevent Violence
- Know the 5 ways to develop sexual citizenship (i.e. respect sexual autonomy and agency), including taking the Sexual Citizenship Quiz.
- Use the Build Consent Culture Starter Kit which has foundational activities on setting boundaries and intervening.
- Watch the Build a Culture of Consent video series by yourself or with a group.
- Sign up your organization or dorm for the Consent and Communication (CoCo) workshop led by the PEERs who are student health educators trained in substance use, sexual citizenship, and mental health.
Written by: Nadia Kalley, Education & Outreach Specialist, Sexual Harassment/Assault Response & Education Title IX Office
Resources
Stanford Resources
- Sexual Assault Awareness Month at Stanford: Learn more about SAAM and how you can get involved.
- SHARE (Sexual Harassment/Assault Response & Education) Title IX Office: The University’s central resource for redressing and preventing sexual harassment and violence issues experienced by all Stanford community members.
- Confidential Support Team: Offers support to Stanford students impacted by sexual assault and relationship violence, stalking, and sexual or gender-based harassment and discrimination.
- Weiland Health Initiative: Promotes mental health and wellness across the spectrum of gender identities and sexual orientations through education, training and clinical services.