NSVRC Blogs

Abril 2025 es el mes de concientización sobre la agresión sexual (SAAM, por sus siglas en inglés): súmate a nuestro llamado colectivo a la acción para prevenir el abuso, la agresión y el acoso sexual. El mes de concientización sobre la agresión sexual resalta el hecho de que el abuso, la agresión y el acoso sexual son asuntos generalizados que afectan a cada persona y comunidad. SAAM busca concientizar a la población acerca de la violencia sexual e informar a las comunidades sobre cómo prevenirla. El tema central del mes de concientización sobre la agresión sexual en 2025, "Juntos, actuamos;

April 2025 is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) - Join our collective call to action to prevent sexual abuse, assault, and harassment. Sexual Assault Awareness Month calls attention to the fact that sexual abuse, assault, and harassment are widespread and impact every person and community. SAAM aims to raise public awareness about sexual violence and educate communities on how to prevent it. The theme of Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2025, "Together We Act, United We Change" — emphasizes the importance of collective action in addressing and preventing sexual abuse, assault, and

NSVRC staff worked with an advisory group of organizations and leaders at local, state, and national levels supporting Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian American and Pacific Islander survivors of sexual violence to create this infographic, which highlights large-scale issues that are exacerbated by disasters and provides guiding questions and inspiration for how to prevent sexual violence when disasters strike. This infographic is a supporting resource of the re-visioned Sexual Violence in Disasters guide, which was updated with the help of these same movement leaders in 2021. The updated

In 2012, NSVRC developed an information packet of materials for service providers working with the LGBTQ+ community. These resources were well-received and widely used by the field for many years. In 2023, NSVRC staff began talking with key partners about the current needs of LGBTQ+ community members and felt it was time to update our resources. These resources, “Creating Inclusive Agencies: Assessing Organizational Readiness & Capacity for Engaging LGBTQ+ Communities” and “Transformative Prevention Programming: Sexual violence prevention in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer

In 2020, the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) published an infographic on the demographics of U.S. men who had experienced sexual harassment and sexual assault. Research cited in the infographic showed that men from marginalized groups, such as gay and bisexual men, transgender men, men with disabilities, and multiracial men, reported elevated rates of sexual victimization. Since 2020, both nationally representative studies and state studies continue to show that sizeable percentages of men, especially marginalized populations of men, have endured sexual violence. Findings

As the body of research on male sexual victimization grows, the anti-sexual violence field becomes more aware of the widespread prevalence of sexual violence against men and boys. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) captured a snapshot of this prevalence in its 2020 infographic, "How Often Are Men Sexually Harassed or Assaulted?" This infographic drew heavily from 2010 and 2015 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) data, as well as from a 2018 Stop Street Harassment national study on sexual victimization. Four years later, a newly released follow-up

  Public transportation is one of the most common environments where people sexually harass and abuse others. There are a number of factors that contribute to this frequency, including perceptions of anonymity, crowded conditions, and the momentary nature of public transportation where someone may be able to leave before the victim even realizes what happened. The perpetrator may be someone who is never seen again, or may be a person they must ride a train, bus, or taxi with regularly. No matter the circumstance, public transportation is a hot spot for victimization, which means it

For the first time, the Gail Burns-Smith Award honors two advocates who are bridging support for survivors with treatment for those who cause sexual harm. HARRISBURG, PA – The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) and the Association for the Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse (ATSA) are pleased to honor Dr. Alissa Ackerman and Casey Ballinger with the 2024 Gail-Burns Smith Award. Ackerman, co-founder and owner of an organization dedicated to restorative justice for sexual harm, Ampersands Restorative Justice, and Ballinger, Training and Technical Assistance Manager with the

June 2024 is Pride Month, an annual event meant to celebrate the impact of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people. Pride Month draws from a long tradition of LGBTQ activism, such as the Reminder Day Pickets in 1960s Philadelphia and the first Pride Marches held across the U.S. on June 18th, 1970 to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Uprising. In an era in which LGBTQ rights have come under fresh attack in sports, schools, and legislatures, Pride is more important than ever. Pride Month is an opportune time for the anti-sexual violence field to reflect on how it can best

The Department of Health and Human Services (the Department), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), recently published new guidance on informed consent from patients in medical settings, with special emphasis on particularly sensitive procedures or those including anesthesia. This is an important precedent to signal larger movements of change in the healthcare industry, as well as make  cultures of consent standard across the board. Full consent is not just signing the forms and saying “yes” or “no” to a procedure- it’s understanding the full extent of every