Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) is more than just a monthly observance. It’s a time to demonstrate a willingness to learn about sexual violence, spread awareness in one’s community, show support for survivors you do know and have yet to meet, and ensure that the conversations had during April are part of an ongoing conversation throughout the year about ways to prevent sexual abuse, assault, and harassment. This year, our SAAM 2025 theme is, “Together We Act: United We Change” because we believe in the power of coming together to promote the safety and wellbeing of all.
College campuses are a great place to have discussions and host events relating to sexual violence prevention and education. Faculty, professors, Title IX offices, public safety, student media, and everyday students all have a part to play in this fight, and we look forward to seeing how each and every one of you can rise to the occasion.
Don’t know where to start? Below are some of our tips for getting involved in SAAM 2025.
Fundraise for Your State Coalition or Local Rape Crisis Center
In recent years, we have seen anti-sexual assault coalitions, rape crisis centers, hotlines, and other violence prevention programs struggle to operate due to insufficient funding. This April, consider donating or raising money for your state’s coalition or your local rape crisis center (see RALIANCE’s directory here). You can also contribute to our Disaster Relief Fund, which helps provide resources for organizations and programs whose work has been impacted by disasters.
Sign the SAAM 2025 Proclamation
Display your commitment to the movement this April by signing our SAAM 2025 Proclamation.
Plan Out Your #30DaysofSAAM2025
For every day throughout April, we’ve created prompts for Instagram posts. Plan out these posts ahead of time by reviewing our #30DaysofSAAM2025 Instagram Challenge document. Who knows? You may be one of the 30+ winners to win Etsy gift cards!
Share Our Materials and Resources
In-person or online, you can show your love for our campaign by sharing our coloring pages with your friends, hanging posters around your campus’ most popular buildings, using our zoom backgrounds, and downloading our social media graphics to share all month-long! Additionally, look into our Social Media Guidance for inspiration when curating your posts.
Plan Events Around Significant Observances
Would you like to plan out your SAAM event around a particular day or timeframe? Here are some options we recommend!
- SAAM Day of Action (Tuesday, April 1st, 2025): The SAAM Day of Action takes place on the first Tuesday of every April, and is the opportunity to show your support with your peers and larger community. Put on your teal shirt and show us how you’re commemorating this year’s SAAM Day of Action!
- Denim Day (Wednesday, April 30th, 2025): Denim Day was a campaign started as a result of an Italian Supreme Court Case in which a survivor wasn’t believed due to the tightness of her jeans. The campaign website states, “Denim Day asks community members, elected officials, businesses and students to make a social statement with their fashion statement by wearing jeans on this day as a visible means of protest against the misconceptions that surround sexual violence.”
- Use Our Weekly Themes: New to SAAM 2025, NSVRC has laid out weekly themes to inspire action. Review each week’s theme and plan your single-day event or week-long campaign around it.
We’ve seen some really unique and innovative events and social media campaigns over the past 24 years, and we encourage everyone to get creative in their approach to commemorate SAAM this April. Take a look back at some of our favorite SAAM events as a source of inspiration for what you can bring to your campus community!
If you are a student-run media organization, you also have the unique opportunity to transform the public conversation surrounding sexual abuse, assault, and harassment on your campus. In addition to reporting on any SAAM-related events, you can use the month of April to review best practices and resources for Reporting on Sexual Violence with your team. Not only could this help your university’s news outlet, but it can also set a good foundation for the reporters of tomorrow when they tackle this issue.
Finally, to the college campus faculty, teachers, Title IX officers, and public safety officials, we encourage you to use SAAM as an opportunity to reach out to your local rape crisis centers. Forging ties with your local advocates and service providers can only help bolster their mission and help you connect any survivor on your campus to the resources and contacts they need to process and heal. Don’t know where to start? We curated a national Directory of Organizations so anyone can find state and national organizations in our field. Find local organizations using RALIANCE’s directory of sexual assault service providers. If your campus works to connect with those on-the-ground in our field, you will truly build a connected community.