January is National Stalking Awareness Month. During this month, Health Promotion schedules a film and dialogue event and a social media campaign to bring awareness to the prevalence of stalking in our communities, educate our campus on the signs of stalking, demonstrate different ways that bystanders can help to prevent violence, and provide information on effective ways to support victims and survivors.
If you have any questions about National Stalking Awareness Month, please contact Taylor Tyson, Interpersonal Violence Prevention Specialist.
Over 25 million Americans have experienced stalking in their lifetimes. Stalking impacts diverse communities across the gender, age, race, and socioeconomic spectrum. The majority of stalking victims are stalked by someone they know. Often, it’s a current or former intimate partner.
If you are a victim or survivor of stalking, help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the Victim Connect Hotline, 1−855-4-VICTIM (842846). If you would like additional information on both confidential and non-confidential resources on the Texas A&M campus and in the Bryan/College Station communities, please contact our office at healthpromotion@tamu.edu.
Safe Spring break is a fun filled evening with a variety of campus and community partners committed to helping students make safe and responsible choices during Spring Break! The event is broken up into sections, “Before You Go”, “While You’re There”, and “When You Get Back”, and includes activities such as the Standard Drink Size Pour station, bystander intervention, CPR, mock field sobriety tests, pedal car races, and a variety of other spring break resources. Lock up your apartment safety, put in your sunscreen, drink responsibly, and should anything arise, know your resources when you get back.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The goal of this month is to raise awareness and educate about sexual violence and increase prevention efforts.
Sexual violence affects college students across the country. A survey conducted in the spring of 2013 found that in Aggieland, 25% of all women and 7% of all men experienced unwanted touching of a sexual nature, comparable to national statistics. Sexual violence causes students to experience negative reactions including less social interaction, depression, distractedness, missing class, and stress (Sexual Assault Survivor Services Survey, Offices of the Dean of Student Life, Spring 2013). To reduce and ultimately end sexual violence, everyone must get involved.
SAAM is a big part of the Step In, Stand Up campaign. To get involved, visit stepinstandup.tamu.edu.
HOW DOES HEALTH PROMOTION SUPPORT SAAM?
Throughout the year, we offer programs and presentations aimed to prevent violence such as the Green Dot Bystander Intervention Program, the Silent Witness Project, In Their Shoes, and SHARP Self-Defense Classes. These programs will be held in April, along with events hosted by organizations across the campus. We also host the Official Sexual Assault Awareness Month Calendar.
THE OFFICIAL SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH CALENDAR
Every year, student organizations, academic departments, and individuals from across Aggieland host events advancing the mission of SAAM during the month of April. This year, we're partnering with the Step In Stand Up Campaign to create the official Sexual Assault Awareness Month Calendar. Events that are approved to be included in the calendar are considered sponsored by Step In Stand Up and will receive marketing through the official Texas A&M social media accounts.
Hosting an event in April? Apply to be part of the official SAAM Calendar. Any event with a mission of preventing any form of sexual violence and promoting a culture of respectful and healthy relationships will be considered!
SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH 2018 EVENTS
SAAM 2018 was a huge success that featured 16 different events being hosted by over a dozen different organizations. To see a list of the events that were hosted, please visit our event page.
WHAT DOES DENIM HAVE TO DO WITH SEXUAL VIOLENCE?
In 1992, an 18-year-old Italian woman was raped by her 45-year old driving instructor and abandoned in an alley. She reported the assault to the police; the instructor was later convicted of rape and sentenced to jail.
In 1999, the instructor appealed the sentence and the case made it all the way to the Italian Supreme Court. The conviction was overturned and he was released. The Court released the following statement in support of their decision, “because the victim wore very, very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them…and by removing the jeans… it was no longer rape, but consensual sex.”
Enraged by the verdict, the women of the Italian Parliament protested the “denim defense” by wearing jeans to work. In April of the same year, the first Denim Day was held in the United States.
HOW DO I PARTICIPATE IN DENIM DAY?
More information about Denim Day in Aggieland 2019 is coming soon.
Beginning in 2010, the Women's Resource Center has hosted Denim Day on the Texas A&M Campus. The Office of CLEAR (now merged with Health Promotion) took over Denim Day in 2016. On the 4th Wednesday of April, we ask that everyone join us in our protest against the myths surrounding sexual assault by wearing jeans.
HOW CAN I HELP PUBLICIZE DENIM DAY?
1. Encourage your friends, roommates, classmates, professors, co-workers, or department to participate in Denim Day with you!
2. Make a statement against sexual violence on social media! Post information on Facebook and Twitter about why you are wearing denim, or link to this page and encourage others to participate as well! #TAMUDenimDay
3. Take pictures of yourself and people you know wearing denim in support of Denim Day and post them on social media! Don't forget to include #TAMUDenimDay.
Every September, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) sponsors Recovery Month to increase awareness and understanding of mental and substance use disorders and celebrate the people who recover. Learn more by visiting the Recovery Month website.
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. During this month, Health Promotion in the Offices of the Dean of Student Life has scheduled several events and workshops with campus and community partners to bring awareness to the prevalence of domestic violence in our communities, educate our campus on the signs of abuse, demonstrate different ways that bystanders can help to prevent violence, and provide information on effective ways to support victims and survivors.
Learn more about DVAM events. We hope to see you at one or many of these events or workshops. At each, there will be a drawing for at least one gift certificate provided by several local businesses. We would like to acknowledge and thank the following businesses for their support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Aggieland Humane Society, Aggieland Outfitters, Aggieland Pets with a Purpose, Carino’s Italian Grill, Freebirds World Burrito, J. Cody’s Steaks and BBQ, Mad Taco (South College Station), Minuti Coffee, Napa Flats, Northgate Juice Joint, Star Cinema Grill, Wienerspiel.
If you have any questions about National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, please contact Taylor Tyson, Interpersonal Violence Prevention Specialist.
If you are a victim or survivor of domestic violence, help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1−800−799−SAFE (7233). If you would like additional information on both confidential and non-confidential resources on the Texas A&M campus and in the Bryan/College Station communities, please contact our office at healthpromotion@tamu.edu.
National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week occurs every year during the third full week of October. This week is a time committed to discussing issues related to alcohol and college, celebrating your responsible and safe decisions as Texas A&M students and community members, and providing a way to interact with others on campus.
Come and join the Recovery Services Committee and the Aggie Recovery Community for a day of food and celebration! Health Promotion hosts the Aggie Sober Tailgate once in the fall during football season and once in the spring during baseball season. The Aggie Sober Tailgate recognizes our Aggies in recovery and the Texas A&M community choosing to celebrate game day in an alcohol-free environment. This event is open to anyone looking for - there is music, games, free food and free giveaways!
On August 3rd, 1999, the Aggie Community lost one of its members to alcohol poisoning on his 21st birthday. Click here for a message sent to all Texas A&M University students for their 21st Birthday as an encouragement to celebrate this landmark, but to do so in a safe and responsible way.
Didn't receive your 21st Birthday email? We apologize for the error! Email healthpromotion@tamu.edu and we'll send it right away.