Take Action for Sexual Assault Awareness

by Roxann MtJoy · 2010-04-19 13:23:00 UTC
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Tuesday April 20th, is the Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) Day of Action. This annual observance, formerly called A Day to End Sexual Violence, provides a much-needed opportunity for all of us to focus our energies on sexual assault awareness and prevention.

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center, which sponsors the event, has a wonderful list of suggestions to help you take action tomorrow. Ideas range from the super simple and easy (wear a teal awareness ribbon, letter-writing) to more involved and fun (plan a themed art exhibit, host a movie screening or open house). The point is that there is something for everyone, regardless of your available time and energy level.

Utilizing social media is another effective way to participate in the SAAM Day of Action. Who doesn't have 30 seconds to change their Facebook status to a message of sexual assault awareness or to tweet rape statistics? If you have a blog or other website, RAINN has a variety of multimedia tools (banners, videos, etc) that you can add. Speaking of RAINN, SAAM is the perfect time to give: during the month of April, every dollar donated will be matched, up to $25,000. Why not spread the word tomorrow and see how much you and your Facebook/MySpace/Twitter/etc friends can raise?

Of course, tomorrow is also a great way to kick off more sustained action in the fight against sexual assault. There are plenty of volunteer opportunities with shelters, hospitals, and organizations like RAINN or the YWCA that are year-round. The SAAM Day of Action could be your personal day of inspiration for continued service.

Every two minutes, someone in the America is sexually assaulted. We need to seize every chance to raise awareness and promote prevention. Honestly, what could be a valid reason for not heeding the call to the SAAM Day of Action? Begin by signing this pledge from Stop the Silence to take action for sexual assault awareness and then start thinking of how you want to participate in tomorrow's Day of Action.

Photo credit: dreamsjung

Roxann MtJoy is a freelance writer who previously worked as a case manager at a domestic violence shelter. She is currently attending graduate school for theater in Mount Vernon, N.Y.
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