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Sexual Assault Awareness Month is here!

April is sexual assault awareness month (SAAM) and this year’s theme is “Drawing Connections: Prevention Demands Equity.” There are many ways to get involved from home or your workplace:

• Wear teal on April 4, the SAAM Day of Action, and post a selfie to Twitter or Instagram using #SAAM2023
• Participate in the #30DaysofSAAM Challenge
• Participate in the SAAM 2023 Youth Contest and make a meme with a meaningful message
• Attend or host an event, such as a virtual scavenger hunt, self-care session, or workshop on drawing connections between prevention and equity (SAAM Events)
• Make a statement and wear jeans on April 26 for Denim Day
• And more! Get creative and share your ideas on social media using the hashtags #SAAM #SAAM2023 #DrawingConnections #RacialEquityMatters #PreventionDemandsEquity

You can find more resources to help mobilize your community during SAAM at the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC). You can also access the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MNCASA)’s SAAM 2023 Partner Program Social Media Toolkit to find social media posts about topics including advocacy, consent, and self-care.

Drawing Connections: Prevention Demands Equity

This year’s SAAM theme seeks to illuminate the connections between sexual violence and systems of oppression. Racism, colonialism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, ageism, ableism, and other systems of oppression contribute to higher rates of sexual harassment, assault, and abuse. History continues to impact how people move through the world today. Because of this, it is essential to recognize that ending sexual violence will require ending all forms of oppression.

Below are some resources to learn about this year’s theme:

• Recording: History Behind the Movement: Sexual Violence, Advocacy, and Prevention, the February Sexual Violence Prevention Network Meeting featuring speaker Kia Whittier of Violence Free MN
• Recording: A Panel Discussion on the Intersection of Race and Sexual Violence, hosted by the Sexual Violence Center, featuring leaders in the sexual violence movement
• Drawing Connections: Prevention Demands Equity (NSVRC), an explanation of this year’s theme
• Making Connections (NSVRC), a collections of blog posts that describe the connections between multiple forms of oppression and how they relate to violence and abuse

Health Equity Approaches to Prevention Resources (PreventConnect), a collection of links to tools and resources to build knowledge, skills, and capacity for health equity approaches to sexual and intimate partner violence

Listening Sessions for Survivors and Family Members of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives

April 3, 6 – 8 p.m. (Virtual)

April 5, 10 a.m. – noon (Minneapolis)

April 12, 10:30 a.m. – noon (Bemidji)

The MN Office of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR), Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition (MIWSAC), and Wilder Research are partnering to host listening sessions with survivors and family members of MMIR victims. These virtual and in-person sessions will help inform recommendations for Minnesota to address the MMIR injustice.

Stipends will be provided as a thanks for participants’ time and contributions.

For more information and to register for the sessions, please contact Becki at communications@miwsac.org.

Ask an Advocate with the Sexual Violence Center

The Sexual Violence Center is celebrating Sexual Assault Awareness Month with a series of conversations. Each week will include a new topic with a different advocate at the Sexual Violence Center. You are invited to attend as many sessions as you’d like. Participation is free but reserve your spot as soon as possible.

Sessions include:

April 6 - Intro to Restorative Justice; Reimagining Current Justice Mechanisms for Victim/Survivors of SV

April 11 - Mindfulness in Crisis

April 13 - Rape Culture & Sexism | Why does it matter?

April 18 - Consent

April 19 - Healthy Relationships for Teens

April 20 - The Healing Power of Art

April 26 - How to Become a Sexual Assault Advocate

Contact Julia Tindell at Julia.Tindell@state.mn.us to contribute to the Sexual Violence Prevention E-News.

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