The theme "Together We Act, United We Change" highlights the importance of working together to address and prevent sexual abuse, assault, and harassment. This campaign focuses on enhancing public understanding of sexual violence, amplifying the voices of underserved communities, and empowering collective action to promote health equity. By aligning these efforts with broader social change and long-term strategies for community engagement, we can sustain the movement toward a future free from violence, creating environments where everyone feels safe, respected, and supported.
Acting With Purpose
Sexual harassment, assault, and abuse can affect anyone, which highlights the need for a foundational understanding of sexual violence and its impacts to challenge misconceptions. By establishing a foundational understanding of consent, healthy communication, and bystander intervention, we empower individuals and communities to protect one another and foster respectful environments. It is equally important to uplift the voices of survivors from marginalized groups as it is essential for shaping a more inclusive movement, ensuring no one is left behind or left unheard. Additionally, it incorporates intersectionality—how race, gender, and identity intersect in survivor experiences. These actions will help foster a culture of prevention and support, paving the way for a future where everyone can feel safe, respected, and valued in their communities.
Changing Together for a Better Future
Through collective action in our communities, workplaces, and schools, we can create safer spaces and promote health equity, especially for those affected by systemic inequalities such as racism, sexism, and ableism, among others, which contribute to higher rates of violence in certain communities. This collaborative approach lays the foundation for lasting change and a more just and equitable society. Ending sexual abuse and assault requires a systemic approach that is deeply connected to broader social justice efforts. Racial justice and anti-oppression efforts urge us to transform ourselves and the systems around us to foster equity and respect. By continuously adapting our approach and engaging youth, we can ensure the movement remains relevant as we work toward a violence-free future.
Together, we act with purpose! United, we have the power to change the world for the better.
Sexual violence is an umbrella term that includes any type of unwanted sexual contact — including sexual assault, harassment, and abuse.
Forms of sexual violence include:
- Rape or sexual assault
- Sexual harassment
- Sexual abuse
- Unwanted sexual contact/touching
- Sexual exploitation and trafficking,
- Exposing one’s genitals or naked body to others without consent,
- Nonconsensual image sharing
- Words and actions of a sexual nature against a person’s will and without their consent
- Sexual violence represents a range of behaviors
Statistics show:
- Most women and men across all sexual identities who experienced contact sexual violence reported that the person who harmed them was someone they knew (Chen, et al., 2023).
- Over 53% of women and over 29% of men reported experiencing contact sexual violence (Chen, et al., 2023).
- 1 in 5 male victims reported only male perpetrators, 1 in 2 had only female perpetrators, and about 1 in 6 had both male and female perpetrators (Chen, et al., 2023).
- More than 1 and 4 non-Hispanic Black women (29%) in the United States were raped in their lifetime (Basile et al., 2022).
- 1 in 3 Hispanic women (34.8%) reported unwanted sexual contact in their lifetime (Basile et al., 2022).
- More than 4 in 5 American Indian and Alaska Native women (84.3%) have experienced violence in their lifetime (Rosay, 2016).
- 32.9% of adults with intellectual disabilities have experienced sexual violence (Tomsa et al., 2021).
- 47% of all transgender people have been sexually assaulted at some point in their lives (James et al., 2016).
Awareness and Action during Sexual Assault Awareness Month
This April, during Sexual Assault Awareness Month, learn how to take steps to build connected communities and enhance your knowledge of sexual assault, harassment, and abuse. In addition, we invite you to explore how to create safe communities where everyone feels safe and supported. We’re asking you to join us in building connected communities that promote equity and respect, as our connections to one another have an impact more significant than just ourselves.
References
Basile, K. C., Smith, S. G., Kresnow, M., Khatiwada S., & Leemis, R. W. (2022). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2016/2017 report on sexual violence. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/nisvs/documentation/nisvsreportonsexualviolence.pdf
Chen, J., Khatiwada, S., Chen, M. S., Smith, S. G., Leemis, R. W., Friar, N., Basile, K. C., and Kresnow, M. (2023). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) 2016/2017: Report on Victimization by Sexual Identity. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
James, S. E., Herman, J. L., Rankin, S., Keisling, M., Mottet, L., & Anafi, M. (2016). The report of the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey. National Center for Transgender Equality. https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/usts/USTS-Full-Report-Dec17.pdf
Rosay, A. B. (2016, September). Violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women and men,. NIJ Journal, 277. National Institute of Justice. http://nij.gov/journals/277/Pages/violence-againstamerican-indians-alaska-natives.aspx
Prevention Institute & National Sexual Violence Resource Center. (2021). A Health Equity Approach to Preventing Sexual Violence. https://www.nsvrc.org/resource/2500/health-equity-approach-preventing-sexual-violence
Tomsa, R., Gutu, S., Cojocaru, D., Gutiérrez-Bermejo, B., Flores, N., & Jenaro, C. (2021). Prevalence of sexual abuse in adults with intellectual disability: Systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4), 1980. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041980