April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

The April 2011 Sexual Assault Awareness Month campaign focuses on everyone speaking up to prevent sexual violence in our neighborhoods, communities, workplaces and schools. The 2011 national Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) campaign explores common, everyday behaviors and offers individuals viable, responsible ways to intervene. This primary prevention approach helps to create environments where people are safe in their relationships, families, neighborhoods, schools, work places and communities.

This year’s SAAM brings together resources and information, thus offering everyone the opportunity to address behaviors before sexual violence occurs.

This year’s campaign, “It’s time … to get involved,” incorporates a bystander approach to sexual violence prevention. A bystander, or witness, is anyone who sees a situation but may or may not know what to do, may think others will act or may be afraid to do something. Research shows that engaging bystanders is a promising way to help prevent the widespread problem of sexual violence in communities.

Read more on the National Sexual Violence Resource Center's website.