April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, prompting campaigns on higher education campuses across the nation.

“While UC ANR is not a campus with students, we are part of the UC family and want to support our campus students and colleagues,” said John Sims, ANR's Affirmative Action compliance officer. “I encourage everyone to participate in this campaign by viewing the 52-second video ‘Prevention is Possible' and linked materials.” 

ANR's Affirmative Action Office has brought together the following resources for academic and staff employees to join the Sexual Assault Awareness Month campaign:

• “Prevention is Possible” video
• President Obama's  Proclamation of National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month 2016  
• National Sexual Violence Resource Center's Overview of campus sex violence prevention
• Action steps for faculty and staff

What is sexual assault?

Sexual assault is a term that is used to encompass the multitude of ways in which a person can be violated in a sexual nature against her or his will. Sexual assault is defined as any sexual act directed against another person that is forcible and/or against that person's will; or, where that person is incapable of giving consent. Sexual assault is a crime in all U.S. states and territories.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month Campaign

Did you know that Sexual Assault Awareness Campaigns began in the early 1970s and the 2016 Campaign is part of the world SAAM history? The National Sexual Violence Resource Center offers a summary of this history that adds broader meaning to the campaign. (Click the small bubbles to scroll through milestones).

In April of 2001, the U.S. began to observe the month of April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Teal ribbons are worn to raise awareness in support of the cause.

Other Sexual Assault Awareness Month resources can be found at

• www.nsvrc.org/publications
• http://www.unh.edu/sharpp/saam
• http://nsvrc.org/saam/resources

If you have questions, please contact John I. Sims at jsims@ucanr.edu or David White at dewhite@ucanr.edu.

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