2019 marks the official 18th anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month — but did you know we can trace its history even longer?
Currently the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), serves as one of the many leading organizations on resources for survivors of sexual violence and trauma.
Sexual Assault |
illegal sexual contact that usually involves force upon a person without consent or is inflicted upon a person who is incapable of giving consent
Even before its official declaration, SAAM was about both awareness and prevention of sexual assault, harassment, and abuse.
Harassment |
aggressive pressure or intimidation.
Looking at the history of the movement to end sexual violence, it’s clear why: It’s impossible to prevent an issue no one knows about, and it’s difficult to make people aware of a problem without providing a solution. The two work in tandem, and they always have. From the civil rights movement to the founding of the first rape crisis centers to national legislation and beyond, the roots of SAAM run deep.
Abuse |
physical maltreatment; a corrupt practice or custom; or language that condemns or vilifies unjustly and angrily.
Roots of the Movement
As long as there have been people who care about making the world a better place, there have been individuals advocating for sexual assault prevention. In the United States, movements for social change and equality began to gain traction in the 1940s and 50s with the civil rights era. Although open discussion of the realities of sexual assault and domestic violence were limited at these times, activists for equal rights began to challenge the status quo.
Efforts during this time were championed by Black women and women of color. Advocates like Rosa Parks worked at the intersections of race-based and gender-based violence (a framework that years later in 1989, advocate and professor Kimberlé Crenshaw would call “intersectionality”).
Wide social activism around the issue of sexual assault continued into the 1970s, bringing with it support for survivors and heightened awareness. The first rape crisis center was founded in San Francisco in 1971, the same city where the first U.S. Take Back the Night event was held seven years later.
SAAM Roots with Brilliant Abundance
Since it’s founding Brilliant Abundance has worked to grow its grassroots efforts around building a community of support for survivors of violence, especially those surviving sexual abuse trauma. Believing the power of healing from the use of one’s own voice in storytelling, not only are survivors taking charge of their healing journey, but always taking back their power, while creating greater awareness and support in the community.
Spring 2019, Brilliant Abundance will launch it’s inaugural campaign #PreventionStartswithME, featuring articles on trending topics like #SurvivingRKelly, An understanding of the attack against the black women’s body, and a college edition of the campaign focusing on sexual assault and child abuse trauma with students from the University of California, Davis.
2019 SAAM | College Edition Campaign
Be sure to sign up for details about our #PreventionStartswithME College Edition campaign, featuring personal stories and lessons from active students at the University of California, Davis. This thoughtful campaign touches many areas of trauma that college students experience and push through during their educational career, these students powerful depictions send a strong message to other students that they are not alone.
While vulnerability may seem difficult at times, each of these students have become stronger for identifying with the interpersonal struggles of moving past and healing from trauma. You are not alone, prevention starts with you and prevention starts with me. Don’t forget to sign up and receive the first look of the #PreventionStartswithME Public Service Announcement kick-off and the accompanying blog articles.
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