April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Sexual assault is a crime that targets men and women of all ages and every race; but it is our mothers, sisters, girlfriends, wives and daughters —women — who represent the highest number of its victims.

• At least 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men are survivors of rape or attempted rape.
  - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• It is estimated that less than 50 percent of all rapes go unreported.
  - SDSU Counseling & Psychological Services

Break the Silence

Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend the campus events taking place during Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), designed to provide information, elicit healing, and break the silence about sexual assault. SAAM events include:

Thursday 4/5 & Wednesday 4/18
Frat MANers Informational Tabling, 11 am – 3 pm, Aztec Center
Frat MANers (Fraternity Men Against Negative Environments and Rape Situations) is one of the country’s first and only collegiate men’s group that educates audiences about violent crime prevention; increases awareness about rape, potential rape situations and sexually coercive behavior; and puts an end to common rape myths.

Tuesday 4/10
“Engage, Ignite, Empowered - Are you Ready?,” 12 pm, Casa Real
Guest speaker Jessi LaCosta will share her own personal journey – from sexual assault survivor to successful speaker and professional/personal development coach.

Thursday 4/12
PRICE Campaign, all day across campus
College students are at the greatest risk for being a perpetrator or victim of rape by intoxication.
SDSU was the first university to join the Prevention of Rape by Intoxication through Community Education (PRICE) Coalition of San Diego County, which unites colleges, law enforcement, and community groups to address the prevalence of rape by intoxication. Look for Frat MANers and GAMMA (Greeks Advocating the Mature Management of Alcohol) representatives across campus, who will be providing informational materials about the PRICE Campaign. Go to www.wastedsex.com for more information.

Thursday 4/19
“Take Back the Night,” 6 - 9 pm, Free Speech Steps
“Take Back the Night” is a rally, march, and candlelight vigil to raise awareness about those currently in any type of abusive situation and to remember those who have been taken from all of us due to acts of violence. On this evening there will be speakers, informational booths, and a display of the Clothesline Project: a mobile display of t-shirts created by survivors of violence against women.

“Take Back the Night” will feature keynote speaker Svava Björnsdóttir Brooks, a former fashion model and talented athlete in her homeland of Iceland; she is a successful businesswoman and entrepreneur; and wife and mother of three. She is also a survivor of child sexual abuse. Svava has made monumental efforts to raise awareness about child sexual abuse prevention in Iceland, and continues to work as a consultant, advocate and public speaker on the issue.

Also speaking at this event is internet-radio talk show host Dr. Kathleen Brooks, who will talk about the healing process of child sexual abuse survivors.

Wednesday 4/25
Denim Day, 11 am – 3 pm, Aztec Center
In 1997, a 17-year-old girl in Rome was raped by her driving instructor and later abandoned in an alley. She filed charges and the perpetrator was convicted of rape and sentenced to jail. The perpetrator appealed the case, won, and was released.

“…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.”
     -Statement released by the then residing Head Judge of the Italian Supreme Court

Enraged by the court’s verdict, women in the Italian Parliament protested the decision by wearing jeans to work. Shortly after learning of this demonstration, the California Senate and Assembly did the same. On SAAM’s Denim Day, people are asked to wear denim in support of sexual assault awareness.

Thursday 4/26
"I Love Consensual Sex" Day, Free Speech Steps, Aztec Center
Look for the SDSU chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) throughout the month of April, who will be selling "I Love Consensual Sex" t-shirts and sweatshirts. Come to the event on April 26 to learn what it truly means for sex to be consensual. A portion of the shirt prices will be donated to Little House Family Services, a local organization that helps victims of domestic abuse. For more information, contact NOW@sdsu, sdsunow@yahoo.com

On-campus Resources

• The Andrea O’Donnell Women’s Resource Center: organizes SDSU’s annual “Take Back the Night” and the Clothesline Project. They can be reached at (619) 594-5430 or wrc_sdsu@yahoo.com.
• Counseling & Psychological Services: information about sexual assault and coping with trauma; what to do if you have been a victim or know someone who has been a victim of sexual assault; and a list of community resources
• Student Health Services: Emergency Contraception Pills; HIV information and testing; and women’s health seminars
• University Police: Escort Service program; Crime Stoppers program; reporting suspicious persons and/or activities; and information on personal safety awareness

University Police reminds us that safety is a community effort. If you see any suspicious activities and/or persons on campus, immediately call (619) 594-1991.