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/violenceprevention/pdf/nisvs/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. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/nisvs/nisvsReportonSexualIdentity.pdf 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 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 Name Date April marks Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM): a time to bring attention to the widespread issue of sexual violence and empower communities to take action. This year’s theme, “Together We Act, United We Change,” highlights the power of working together to create safer, more respectful environments for all. Sexual abuse, assault, and harassment affect individuals of every background. To address this, we must promote education around consent, healthy communication, and bystander intervention. By equipping individuals and communities with these tools, we can help prevent violence before it starts and foster a culture of respect and care. Central to this campaign is the importance of amplifying the voices of survivors, especially those most vulnerable in our communities. Their experiences must be heard and acknowledged, and their stories should guide our efforts to combat sexual violence in all its forms. Everyone in our communities deserves to live in safe and supportive environments where they are treated with respect. When our workplaces, schools, and communities work together to uphold safety and respect, we make progress in preventing sexual abuse, assault, and harassment. 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). Together, we act; united, we change. By standing in solidarity, we can build a future free from sexual violence and create a world where everyone is safe, valued, and respected. © 2025 National Sexual Violence Resource Center. All rights reserved. Sexual Assault Awareness Month Proclamation April 2025