April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Photo courtesy of nsvrc.org
As we enter the month of April, it is important to acknowledge this month as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This year specifically marks 25 years of the nationally recognized month. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) has designated the theme of this year’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month as “25 Years Stronger: Looking Back, Moving Forward,” which “celebrates the resilience of survivors and the communities that have worked for change.”
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center also announced more specific awareness themes chosen for each week of the month. For the week of Apr. 5 through Apr. 11, NSVRC has chosen the theme “Survivors at the Center.” It is meant to uplift “survivors’ voices [which] have always been and remain the foundation of this movement. Past, present, and future, this week’s theme shows that listening to survivors and respecting their diverse experiences is essential.”
The Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) provides statistics proving that young people and women are most highly affected by sexual violence. “69% of sexual assault victims are between the ages of 12-34… 54% are 18-34,” the network states. They also further report that “an estimated 17.7 million American women had been victims of attempted or completed rape as of 1998.” More specifically, “82% of all juvenile victims are female. 90% of adult rape victims are female,” as also documented by RAINN. The network credits The National Crime Victimization Survey, “an annual study conducted by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), [and] the largest and most comprehensive crime measure in the United States,” for most of their provided statistics.
However, while these groups are especially vulnerable to sexual assault and violence, other groups are also victims and survivors. RAINN documents that “male college students are 5x more likely to be a victim [of rape or sexual assault].” More broadly, “1 out of every 10 rape victims are male” and “2.78 million men in the U.S. had been victims of attempted or completed rape as of 1998.”
As The National Sexual Violence Resource Center details, “diverse experiences” of survivors are at the heart of the movement to raise awareness around sexual assault. Incarcerated people and Indigenous Americans are also victims and survivors of sexual violence. RAINN reports that “sexual assault is 2x more likely for Indigenous Americans… compared to all races” and “an estimated 80,600 inmates each year experience sexual violence while in prison or jail.”
The National Library of Medicine describes sexual violence as “an urgent public health issue that is common and has lifelong effects on health.” They further highlight the severity and importance of becoming educated on and working to prevent sexual assaults and violence, reporting that children who are survivors of sexual violence suffer from long-term health and mental effects, such as an increased risk of engaging in “high-risk sexual behavior [and] substance abuse.”
Understanding and educating ourselves on the severity of sexual assault and violence is just one way to begin honoring Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Taking steps to support survivors of sexual violence also matters. Columbia Health details ways to support survivors on their website, including “believe the survivor[,] let the survivor lead the conversation[, and] be careful about providing assurance.” This can look like acknowledging the victim’s feelings of trauma and reminding them they are strong enough to overcome their assault, respecting victims’ boundaries in what they are comfortable sharing about their assault, and asking how you can be of help, instead of immediately telling the victim they must believe that everything will be okay.
Victims can report their assault to police, by calling 911 in emergencies or contacting a local police department, or by visiting a medical facility, especially if they have injuries from the attack, as The Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence (NCEDSV) reports. The Coalition also explains, “deciding whether or not to report sexual assault is a personal decision. Some survivors say that reporting the assault and seeking justice against their assailant helped them recover and regain a sense of control over their lives.”
The sexual assault hotline can be reached by calling 800-656-4673. RESTORE sexual assault services serve “Monroe, Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, [and] Wyoming Counties” to help support victims of sexual and domestic violence, as per their website. Their hotline can be reached at 585-546-2777.