April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). Sexual violence is any sexual activity where consent is not obtained or not freely given. It impacts every community and affects people of all genders, sexual orientations, and ages. The perpetrator of sexual violence is usually someone the victim knows, such as a friend, current or former intimate partner, coworker, neighbor, or family member. It can occur in person or through technology, such as posting or sharing sexual pictures of someone without their consent, or non-consensual sexting. The national theme of this year’s campaign is: Together We Act, United We Change.
According to the CDC:
- 1 in 5 women in the United States experienced completed or attempted rape during their lifetime.
- 81% of women and 43% of men reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment and/or assault in their lifetime.
- 1 in 3 female victims and 1 in 4 male victims of completed or attempted rape experienced it for the first time between the ages of 11 and 17.
- 51.1% of female victims reported being raped by an intimate partner and 40.8% by an acquaintance.
- During the 2023-2024 fiscal year, PREVAIL responded 389 times to provide confidential advocacy and support to sexual assault victims.
This year, we are asking the community to help us raise awareness in a few ways:
Join Teal Day on April 1st — Kickoff event at Michael's Pizza
Please join us to kick off our Sexual Assault Awareness Campaign at Michael's Pizza (2300 W.Alpine Ave., Stockton, CA). Our team will be there from 12:00 to 4:00 PM! Michael's Pizza will be donating a percentage of their sales during this event to support services for victims of sexual assault.Wear teal, the color of sexual violence prevention. Whether it’s a ribbon, shirt, or accessory, show your support by sharing your teal look and tag PREVAIL on your social media.
Teal Sand Project
PREVAIL is inviting authorities, organizations, and partner agencies to bring awareness and open dialogues by displaying our Teal Sand Project! PREVAIL provides the sand, posters, and our team joins each partner to fill the cracks or grout in the sidewalk, main entrance, or courtyard at the various locations symbolizing the community coming together to fill the gaps for victims of sexual assault.This campaign, and our partners, will be highlighted through the month of April in our social media. Please note that the sand is completely safe and washable.
We had some agencies asking us last year if there was a cost to host the Teal Sand Project or a way to support our efforts, even though there is no cost and we are honored with your partnership and support, we welcome any contributions.
Denim Day, April 30th
PREVAIL is inviting the community to join in this fundraising opportunity. Everyone is encouraged to wear denim on April 30th and donate $5 or wear ripped jeans and donate $10. All donations made to PREVAIL will be directed to provide services to individuals impacted by sexual violence. This campaign will be available on our website: https://weshallprevail.org/
Please reach out if you want to be part of our campaign, help us paint San Joaquin County teal in honor of those that have experienced sexual assault in their lifetime!
To donate, please go to our website: WeShallPREVAIL.org
Need Help? Call our 24-Hour Crisis Helpline at (209) 465-4878