April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

The month of April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) sponsors SAAM and help individuals plan SAAM activities in their communities and play a role in prevention throughout the year since 2001. The goal of SAAM is to raise public awareness about sexual violence and to educate communities on how to prevent it. Their campaign this year is: Stop Sexual Violence on Campus. The goal of the SAAM 2015 is to support campuses in creating a culture of prevention and effective, trauma-informed response. One in five women are sexually assaulted while in college and the majority of these victims will never report the assault. One in 16 men are sexually assaulted while in college and the majority of these victims will never report the assault. SAAM asks that people help to create communities that prevent violence and build campuses that respond well. Everyone can play a role in creating safer campuses. Take action to prevent sexual violence. To show your support for sexual assault awareness, you can wear the official color for SAAM, teal. For more information on SAAM, visit www.nsvrc.org/saam. Refuge House, Inc. recently hosted a SAAM event in Madison County. See page 6A for the story.