In the United States, April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The goal of SAAM is to raise public awareness of sexual assault and educate communities on how to support survivors and prevent future violence. We know that one month alone isn’t enough to solve the serious and widespread issue of sexual violence, but the attention SAAM generates is an opportunity to energize and expand awareness and prevention efforts throughout the rest of the year.
More common than most realize, 1 in 5 women and about 1 in 14 men have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetime.1 In North Dakota alone, 1,288 victims of sexual assault were served by domestic violence/sexual assault advocacy centers in 2023.
Each year, the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) leads a nationwide campaign for SAAM. This year’s theme is Together We Act, United We Change. According to NSVRC, this theme “emphasizes the importance of collective action in addressing and preventing sexual abuse, assault, and harassment.”
The first Tuesday of April is the SAAM Day of Action. The Day of Action is recognized nationally and is an opportunity to kickoff your SAAM efforts. It’s a great day to host an event, post on social media, or wear teal to show your support for survivors. Teal is the color of sexual assault awareness and prevention. By wearing teal on the Day of Action, you’re signaling that you support survivors and are a safe person to talk to if they need to reach out.
Wear jeans with a purpose on April 30th to take a stand against victim blaming. The Denim Day campaign began in 1999 after an Italian Supreme Court case was overturned on the judgment that the victim was wearing very tight jeans when she was assaulted. The justices decided that the victim would have had to have helped the offender remove the jeans, meaning that the incident was not rape, but consensual sex. Enraged by the verdict, the women in the Italian Parliament protested this ruling by wearing jeans on the steps of the Supreme Court. Every year, we continue to wear jeans on Denim Day to protest harmful myths about why women and girls are sexually assaulted. Read more about Denim Day.
Find more awareness events hosted by NDDSVC and our member organizations on our Awareness Events page.
As the leader against sexual violence in North Dakota, NDDSVC coordinates a statewide campaign for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. All month long, the we’ll be sharing information on consent and how to get help if you’ve experienced sexual violence. We’re also collaborating with our member organizations—19 domestic violence and sexual assault victim advocacy centers across the state—to share coffee sleeves, hot sauce, and stickers with consent-centered messages in North Dakota communities. NDDSVC’s member organizations are also hosting events and sharing content on their social media channels to raise awareness and inform North Dakotans on the prevalence of sexual assault in our communities.
During April, NDDSVC and our members are sharing cups of coffee that carry an important message. As part of our SAAM campaign, NDDSVC created custom coffee sleeves that have information on consent and supportive services for survivors of sexual violence. We distributed the coffee sleeves to our member organizations across the state who are then partnering with coffee sellers to share the coffee sleeves in North Dakota communities.
One coffee sleeve reads “Here’s your cup of support” beside a friendly looking coffee cup character. A URL on the coffee sleeve leads to an online directory of NDDSVC’s member organizations. Each organization provides free and confidential support to victims of sexual assault, including helping victims access medical care, mental health support and legal support, if desired.
Another coffee sleeve reads, “Consent is HOT! (Just like this coffee)” The URL on the coffee sleeve leads to the same advocacy center directory, where individuals can contact their local organization to learn more about consent and healthy relationships.
“Just like your morning latte might help you get through the day, we want survivors to know that advocates can help them get through the trauma that can come with experiencing sexual assault,” said Seth O’Neill, Executive Director of NDDSVC.
In addition to the coffee sleeves, NDDSVC also created custom bottles of hot sauce that read “Consent is Hot” and “If it’s not a yes, give it a rest!”
“Our hope is that the hot sauce creates conversations about consent and why it’s so important,” said Amie Britz, Communications Coordinator at NDDSVC. “Without consent, sexual activity becomes sexual violence. I think a lot of people understand that consent is essential, but we want to go beyond that and make consent something that is celebrated and championed by the people of North Dakota.”
Like the coffee sleeves, the hot sauce bottles have information to connect victims and survivors of sexual violence with supportive services. A QR code on the label leads to the online directory of NDDSVC’s member organizations.
Explore resources for advocates and supporters looking to participate in SAAM. Click here to download the complete SAAM Toolkit from NDDSVC (members only).
Sources:
1. Smith, S.G., Zhang, X., Basile, K.C., Merrick, M.T., Wang, J., Kresnow, M., Chen, J. (2018). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2015 Data Brief – Updated Release. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)
More on awareness
View domestic violence and sexual assault awareness events happening across North Dakota.
Join survivors, advocates, political leaders, and supporters across the country in working to end domestic violence.
Donate Now
Thousands of North Dakotans experience domestic and sexual violence each year. But together, we can change that. By giving to NDDSVC, you’re helping us prevent future violence and providing life-saving resources to North Dakota communities.
Find Help
If you are in an unsafe or abusive situation, there are 19 domestic violence/sexual assault (DV/SA) victim advocacy centers across North Dakota that can help you navigate your options and stay safe. Each center is staffed with professionals who can help you with safety planning, finding shelter, obtaining a protection order, and more.
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NDDSVC does not provide direct services to victims and survivors.
Contact a DV/SA advocacy center near you if you are looking for support. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
