April 22, 2015

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM).

This year’s campaign focuses on sexual assault on college campuses.

Campus sexual assault has long been an issue and now it is more visible than ever.

Many people — from student activists to the White House administration — are taking action.

It’s time for all of us to act.

As many as one in five women are sexually assaulted in college (Krebs, Lindquist, Warner, Fisher, & Martin, 2007). While in college, one in 16 men are victim of an attempted or completed assault (Krebs et al., 2007).

The impact of sexual assault can be wide-ranging and can have long-term health impacts.

The goal of SAAM 2015 is to get everyone involved in creating safer campuses.

The campaign helps the entire community learn how to take action to prevent sexual assault.

Preventing sexual violence on campus takes more than one department, office, club, team, administrator, professor, staff member or student.

It takes all of us working together in big and small ways.

Everyone must play a role in creating a culture of safety, equality and respect on campus.

To get involved, please check out www.itsonus.org to take the pledge and learn how you can help.

Everyone benefits when campuses are safer.

As this year’s slogan states, “It’s Time to Act: Safer Campuses. Brighter Futures. Prevent Sexual Violence.”

You can learn more at www.nsvrc.org/saam.

Whitney Henley
UW-Whitewater Wellness Coordinator