Obama declares April Sexual Assault Awareness Month [ArticleImageHyperLink] Wednesday, April 28, 2010 By Katie Brewer Advertising Every year, about 1 in 8 college women is raped. According to a 2007 study done by Texas Woman’s University, in 85% of those assaults the women knew their attacker. April has been named Sexual Assault Awareness Month in Ohio and across the world to spread knowledge and awareness of sexual violence. According to Amanda Suttle, Rape Prevention Coordinator at the Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Prevention Program (SADVPP), the 2010 Sexual Assault Awareness Month campaign focuses on preventing sexual violence on higher education campuses and 1 in 5 college women will be a victim of sexual assault by the time she graduates. “Sexual assault is a very serious crime, and unfortunately also very common in our society, and yet people are reluctant to talk about it openly,” Karen Baker, MSW Director of the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), said. “Many people do not know much about it, or believe things that are not necessarily true.” Many incidents do occur, such as on Jan. 19 when a 26-year-old woman was raped in broad daylight on a street in Toledo, Ohio by a 15-year-old boy. Cars drove by, but no one stopped to help her. Shortly after President Barack Obama took office in 2009, he issued the first proclamation of naming April as National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This April, he made a second proclamation. “Every day, women, men, and children across America suffer the pain and trauma of sexual assault. From verbal harassment and intimidation to molestation and rape, this crime occurs far too frequently, goes unreported far too often, and leaves long-lasting physical and emotional scars. During National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we recommit ourselves not only to lifting the veil of secrecy and shame surrounding sexual violence, but also to raising awareness, expanding support for victims, and strengthening our response,” President Obama said in his 2010 proclamation. According to Baker, NSVRC has been trying to get a presidential proclamation to recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month for many years. “I’m thrilled! Obama is the first president to publicly step forward and say ‘this has got to stop’,” Baker said. “I admire his leadership and hope that it inspires many others to speak out about preventing sexual violence.” Throughout April, many events and activities are held in order to promote sexual assault awareness: Take Back the Night rallies (survivors tell their stories and people listen and support them), poetry readings and art projects, Open Houses at community rape crisis centers, discussion forums on college campuses, etc. “During the month of April each year we host events and post messages to draw attention to the topic of sexual violence,” Baker said. “We highlight information such as:  sexual assault is never the victim’s fault, where people can go for help in their communities, and what everyone can do to get involved in changing our culture so that in the future it will no longer be tolerated.” Sexual violence is preventable and there are many ways to get involved: model supportive relationships and behaviors with your friends and families, stand up for victims and believe them, speak up when you hear harmful or disrespectful comments, report situations that you believe may become violent or where someone may be harmed, etc.  “We all make choices about how to behave and some people make bad choices to harm others.  Help is available,” Baker said. “Victims can heal and become survivors and role models for others. And people who have harmed others, or who think about doing that can learn to make better choices and to feel good about themselves without controlling or harming others.”

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