Sexual Assault Prevention & Awareness Month

April is observed as Sexual Assault Prevention & Awareness Month. This initiative was officially declared in 2001 by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, with the purpose of unifying state coalitions, college campuses, and community organizations in their efforts to end all forms of sexual assault, harassment, and abuse. Now in it’s 20th year of official observation, individuals and communities come together during this month to honor the grassroots activism that has led to systemic change in the way we recognize, prevent, and respond to sexual violence, while also advancing education and social change around present-day challenges related to this public health issue.

The theme for Health Promotion’s 2021 Sexual Assault Prevention & Awareness Month is Solidarity. It pays tribute to the foundations of this movement but also serves as a call to action, especially as we find ourselves at the forefront of a unique cultural and social shift towards understanding the proliferation of sexual violence and related trauma. Over the past year, the following has been undeniable:

Inequities in response and services persist as a direct result of structural racism, which continues to create barriers and silence victims and survivors in minoritized communities.
Victims and survivors have become more isolated and endangered by way of COVID-19, with rates of child abuse, intimate partner violence, and intimate partner homicide having increased at least threefold since March 2020, resulting in advocates and public health experts terming this a “pandemic within a pandemic.”
Trauma associated with the pandemic can cause victims and survivors to reexperience feelings associated with their previous sexual assaults, and regardless of whether someone has disclosed their assault, this can lead to additional risk for mental health issues, physical health issues, and unhealthy coping behaviors.

Our prevention education and awareness programming this year will reflect the necessary practices called upon by national organizations, educators, public health professionals, and advocates. We will intentionally elevate voices, provide strategies for others to disrupt the social, cultural and gender norms that promote violence, share culturally-relevant and inclusive resources, and normalize trauma-informed conversations about sexual violence. We hope that you will join us in solidarity to each other as an Aggie community and the broader communities you represent.

Health Promotion has partnered with Texas A&M Libraries to host Books That Speak Out: Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Month Digital Book Display. The Digital Book Display includes a variety of e-books, documentaries, podcasts, online communities, and resources that relate to experiencing and surviving sexual violence and other forms of power-based personal violence. You will find everything from policy to self-care and personal narratives to poetry that is applicable to survivors and allies of all identities.

Location: tx.ag/BooksThatSpeakOut
Date/Time: April 1-30
Audience: Everyone
Sponsored By: Texas A&M Health Promotion, Texas A&M Libraries, Blinn College, Sexual Assault Resource Center of Brazos Valley, UnBound BCS, Phoebe’s Home

Nationally recognized in the United States as a part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, SAAM Day of Action aims to stop sexual assault, harassment, and abuse through education on consent, boundaries, and creating systemic change. It also promotes resources and shows support for those impacted by this public health issue.

Wear teal, the designated awareness color, on April 6 to show your support for Sexual Assault Prevention, not just in April but all year. Share a photo on social media and tell us why and how you care about this initiative. Use the hashtags #SAAM and #SAPAMTAMU.

Location: Social media
Date/Time: April 6, all-day
Audience: Everyone
Sponsored By: Texas A&M Health Promotion

Reward your body and mind with Sound Off Sunset Yoga! Rec Sports provides headphones so you can listen to the instructor and a live DJ mixing up some soulful tunes to help you unwind. Rec Sports can’t wait to share this unique, free experience. Mats, headphones, and giveaways provided on a first come first served basis, and social distancing will be observed. Registration is required. Visitor parking or any valid A&M parking permit after 5pm (Lots 94, 100A-G).

Location: The Gardens at Texas A&M, 578 John Kimbrough Blvd.
Date/Time: April 7, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
Registration: Required at tx.ag/SunsetYoga
Audience: Everyone
Sponsored By: Texas A&M Rec Sports

The Texas A&M Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG) in conjunction with Interpersonal Violence Prevention Working Group (IVPWG) will host a donation event in downtown Bryan, in the grassy area right next to the BV Farmers Market. GPSG will provide Cornhole boards and bags for people to come play in our tournament for a donation of $5, which will also get you a gift bag. The funds collected will be donated to Twin City Mission, which provides free shelter, counseling, case management, legal advocacy, safety planning, and career assistance for victims of domestic violence and dating violence. Come interact with the local community of Bryan and College Station and enjoy bean bag tossing with us! Registration is required.

Location: Downtown Bryan, next to the Brazos Valley Farmer’s Market
Date/Time: April 10, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Registration: Required at tx.ag/CornholeTournamentSAAM
Audience: Everyone
Sponsored By: Texas A&M Graduate and Professional Student Government

Athlete A is a documentary that focuses on the gymnasts who survived USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar’s abuse and the reporters who exposed USAG’s toxic culture. Join SARC through a virtual Teleparty platform as members of our community view this documentary and engage in a Zoom discussion afterwards. Advance registration is required and participants must add the Telepary extension and Google Chrome before the event.

Location: Teleparty, Zoom Live
Date/Time: April 14, 6 - 8 p.m.
Registration: Required
Audience: Everyone
Sponsored By: The Sexual Assault Resource Center (SARC) of Brazos Valley

Health Promotion has partnered with Rec Sports to create a space for confidential conversation, healing, and resources for victim-survivors, their friends, and allies. This event will feature a trauma-informed yoga class, self-care strategies and giveaways, and guidance from professionals who regularly work with victim-survivors. This is a Title IX exempt event, meaning anyone can disclose their experience and not be required to report it to the university. Participants can choose to attend in person or through Zoom, and privacy will be protected in both formats. Registration is required. Visitor parking or any valid A&M parking permit after 5pm (West Campus Garage, Lots 100A-J).

Location: Rec 2229 and Zoom
Date/Time: April 20, 6 - 7 p.m.
Registration: Required at tx.ag/HealingWithFriends
Audience: Everyone
Sponsored By: Texas A&M Health Promotion and Rec Sports

As critical as recent movements, such as #MeToo and the Women’s March, have been to creating immutable dialogue around sexual violence, they have been criticized for having a hyper-focus on the experiences of white, privileged women as well as looking at trauma through a primarily heteronormative, ableist, and Westernized lens. This panel will discuss how we create space and elevate the voices of survivors and allies who have been left at the margins of the very movements that were created for them and in some cases, by them, while focusing on the role of cultural stigma, intersectionality, and policy in finding solutions.

Location: Facebook Live - fb.com/tamuhealthpromotion
Date/Time: April 28, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Audience: Everyone
Sponsored By: Texas A&M Health Promotion

Join us for a panel that will introduce the history and importance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, while also engaging in an open and honest discussion regarding where we need to strengthen education, advocacy, and policy to address the intersection of sexual violence with other public health issues. Within the discussion, we will examine what many national organizations and movements are currently calling upon, and that is providing strategies and best-practices for elevating the voices and perspectives of survivors who represent marginalized populations; disrupting the social, cultural, and gender norms that promote violence; sharing culturally-relevant and inclusive resources; normalizing trauma-informed conversations about sexual violence.

Location: Facebook Live - fb.com/tamuhealthpromotion
Date/Time: April 1, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Audience: Everyone
Sponsored By: Texas A&M Health Promotion

A week-long program to spread awareness and prevent sexual violence on our campus and in our community. Throughout the week, there will be profit shares, a virtual fundraiser, and a donation drive to help support the Sexual Assault Resource Center of Brazos Valley (SARC). Wear your teal on Teal Tuesday and swing by Grub Burger on April 8 for a profit-share to support the Sexual Assault Resource Center of Brazos Valley.

Date/Time: April 5 - 9
Audience: Everyone
Sponsored By: Sophomores Leaders Impacting, Developing, and Educating (SLIDE)

From a young age, men are told to act a certain way to appear strong, unbreakable, and stoic. During this conversation, we will breakdown these messages and how they impact topics such as healthy relationships, consent, and positive masculinity. We will also be exploring how to change this childhood narrative and be agents of change for sexual assault prevention. Registration is required.

Location: Zoom
Date/Time: April 6, 5 - 6:30 p.m.
Registration: Required at tx.ag/MasculinitySAAM
Audience: Students identifying as male
Sponsored By: Texas A&M Health Promotion

Especially on college campuses, organizational culture has the power to influence how students identify and respond to sexual violence. Involvement in registered student organizations, athletics, Greek Life, ROTC, and the like allow students to bond over collectively shared values, beliefs, and assumptions that guide their roles and actions as members. This panel will bring together student leaders and professional staff to discuss how organizations can move past harmful behaviors that promote stereotypes, silence, doubt, and inaction around sexual violence. Panelists will also share strategies for how organizations can become proactive, not only by educating themselves on violence prevention but also valuing prevention as a part of their everyday organizational practices.

Location: Facebook Live - fb.com/tamuhealthpromotion
Date/Time: April 7, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Audience: Everyone
Sponsored By: Texas A&M Health Promotion

This panel will explore why men are so important in the movement to end sexual violence. Specific focus will be given to what men can do to hold other men accountable (stand up to bro culture), how men can join and be more active in the movement, where men who are survivors of sexual violence can find resources specific to their experiences, and what the future of sexual assault prevention looks like over the next five years.

Location: Facebook Live - fb.com/tamuhealthpromotion
Date/Time: April 14, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Audience: Everyone
Sponsored By: Texas A&M Health Promotion

Mental health awareness has recently been highlighted as vital to the college experience. Panelists will specifically discuss sexual assault survivorship within the context of mental health and wellness. Attendees will gain a better understanding of the impacts of sexual assault on mental health, different trauma-informed coping mechanisms, and how to provide meaningful support to survivors.

Location: Facebook Live - fb.com/tamuhealthpromotion
Date/Time: April 21, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Audience: Everyone
Sponsored By: Texas A&M Health Promotion, Aggie Elevate

Wear denim on April 28 to show your support for sexual violence awareness and prevention. Share a photo on social media and tell us why you observe Denim Day. Use the hashtags #TAMUDenimDay and #SAPAMTAMU.

Denim Day is the longest running sexual violence prevention and education campaign in history. The campaign was created in response to a rape conviction that was overturned in 1992 by the Italian Supreme Court. The justices felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans she must have helped the person who raped her remove them, thereby implying consent. Since then, wearing jeans on Denim Day has served as a visible means of protest against misconceptions that surround sexual violence. Learn more at DenimDay.org.

Location: Social media
Date/Time: April 28
Audience: Everyone
Sponsored By: Texas A&M Health Promotion