During the month of April, we observe Sexual Assault Awareness Month or SAAM. This month is time to bring awareness to the terribly prevalent issue of sexual assault and violence in our communities. The goal of SAAM is to spread awareness, educate people about sexual assault, and most importantly support victims/survivors of sexual assault. But what exactly is sexual assault, and what can you do to prevent it?
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), the largest anti-sexual violence organization in the nation, defines sexual assault as “sexual contact or behavior that occurs without explicit consent of the victim”. Sexual assault includes, but is not limited to:
Attempted rape
Fondling or unwanted sexual touching
Forcing a victim to perform sexual acts, such as oral sex or penetrating the perpetrator’s body
Penetration of the victim’s body, also known as rape
It is also important to note that sexual assault is not only physical force, but can include “emotional coercion, psychological force, or manipulation to coerce a victim into non-consensual sex.”
In the United States, on average, every year there are about 433,648 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault. 1 out of every 6 American girls and women have been victims of rape (attempted or completed) in their lifetime. Juvenile women, women in college, women of color, and queer women are disproportionately more likely to be victims of sexual assault than women in general. 1 out of 33 American boys and men have been victims of rape (attempted or completed) in their lifetime. Similarly to women, men in college are 5 times more likely to be a victim of rape or sexual assault than men not in college.
Sexual assault victims can also experience long-term effects, beyond any physical hurt. Approximately 70% of rape or sexual assault victims experience moderate to severe distress. This emotional suffering leads to high rates of victims who contemplate suicide, experience depressive thoughts, and turn to drug use. Victims may also experience a negative effect on their relationships with family, friends, and peers.
The groups at the greatest risk of sexual assault are Native Americans, prison inmates, and military members. This is because sexual assault within these groups often goes unreported and is not given the same amount of attention in the media. Native Americans are twice as likely to experience a rape/sexual assault compared to all races. 80,600 inmates each year experience sexual violence while in prison and 60% of this is perpetrated by jail or prison staff, all of which is illegal, consensual, or not. And lastly, in 2018 only 6,053 military members reported experiencing sexual assault during military service while to US Department of Defence estimated that about 20,500 service members experienced sexual assault that year.
Now that we are aware of the though facts about sexual assault, let’s dive into the other key element of SAAM, prevention.
Sexual assault, violence, and rape are all encouraged in our society. Rape Culture, for example, normalizes the objectification of women and the glamorization of sexual violence. Catcalling is not flattery or flirting, it’s street harassment. Stereotypes about the capabilities and expectations of men and women in our society prolong the unbalanced relationship between men and women. A cycle of fear and unequal power dynamics between men and women stunt progress in eradicating sexual violence. However, there are ways to combat these issues.
Here are some simple ways to individually make a change:
Objectively looking at media and consciously thinking about what message it is attempting to portray, or even unknowingly portraying, about women and violence
Avoid using language that objectifies or degrades women yourself, as well as calling out those around who make offensive “jokes” and downplay rape
Understand that sexual violence is never the victim's fault and always believe that a victim’s story is true and valid
Here are some organizations that work to bring awareness and prevent sexual assault:
NO MORE: an organization that leads campaigns and spreads information about sexual assault and violence
Hollaback!: an organization that provides the tools and training to anyone looking to prevent all types of harassment
The National Alliance to End Sexual Violence (NAESV): focuses on legislation that supports survivors and prevents sexual violence
Although Sexual Assault Awareness Month only lasts till the end of April, the fight against sexual assault will not. Continue to increase your own knowledge about this issue and spread what you know to others. The normalization and perpetuation of sexual assault and violence affect our communities and society as a whole. Anything and everything you can do to get involved matters.
Image Source: https://www.nsvrc.org/saam/2021/saamgraphics