The Women's Community of Wausau Recognizes Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Tuesday, April 4th, 2023 -- 9:09 AM

April 2023, we celebrate the 22nd anniversary of the declaration of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, according to the Women’s Community of Wausau.

While the first official declaration and celebration of this month was in 2001 by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, advocacy for sexual assault awareness and prevention began decades before.

There is much work yet to be done, and we celebrate Sexual Assault Awareness Month as a reminder of the hard work of advocates and community partners, as well as, the efforts made throughout the years to support people impacted by sexual assault and other forms of sexual violence.

Nationwide, April is declared as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) and Child Abuse Prevention Month. The goal of SAAM is to raise public awareness about sexual violence, educate communities on how to prevent it and bolster prevention efforts throughout the year.

More than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the United States have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“To honor the courage of survivors and stand with them in solidarity, we must continue advocating for survivors and raising awareness about sexual violence," says Jessica Lind, Sexual Assault Victim Services Program Coordinator of The Women’s Community.

While there is no doubt efforts like this must be ongoing and not limited to one month, SAAM provides a dedicated opportunity for The Women’s Community to collectively demonstrate support for survivors, and invites individuals of the community to participate in awareness events scheduled throughout the month. For more information, contact The Women’s Community.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.