Community Snapshot: Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Trigger warning: Mentions of sexual assault, rape, and violence
April is Sexual Assault Awareness month and we at LILAS Wellness want to be very intentional about having conversations about this because sexual assault deeply affects our communal experiences of womanhoods. There are more sexual assault survivors in our communities than we may realize and in having these conversations, we hope to do so in a way that is safe and sensitive while also remaining honest about the troubling reality. We need to see the truth in order to have the information necessary to address the often insidious problem and to seek justice. According to the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN):
- Every 73 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. On average, 433,648 (age 12 or older) Americans are victims of sexual assault each year.
- 1 out of every 6 American women has been a victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime, (14.8% completed and 2.8% attempted).
- 9 out of 10 victims of rape are female.
- Meanwhile, only 5 out of every 1000 perpetrators will end up in prison.
We asked the LILAS community about how you’ve seen sexualt assault be discussed in different spheres. Here is what you all as our survey participants shared about your exposure to sexual assault:
Here are some more of your thoughts:
“Communication with children is very important! [We need to] make them realize we are always there for them no matter what.” – @rosh_akku
“Wish it was taught at school.” –@meeetos
*Title IX prohibits sexual discrimination in schools that receive federal funding. Sexual assault, violence, and harrasment are deemed as major forms of this discrimination.
Ultimately, sexual assault warrants a much more in-depth conversation. There needs to be ways where we can generate safe spaces and consolidate resources necessary to help survivors and reinforce prevention. This post serves as an invitation for much-needed dialogue. We're looking forward to next month’s Community Snapshot and we are here for you should you need anything.
For more information about sexual assault prevention and for supporting survivors, here are some further resources: