Sexual Assault Awareness Month educates communities and individuals about sexual assault and the actions they can take to prevent it.
Every 68 seconds, another American is sexually assaulted.¹. Calculating over a one-day period, that’s more than 1,200 people each day, 1,200 too many. One in 33 men have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime; 1 in 6 women have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their life. The statistics of sexual violence are informative and overwhelming. It can be challenging to feel like we can make a difference, but we can. Some of the actions recommended by Prairie Center Against Sexual Assault will help us change future statistics:
- Intervene when you witness inappropriate behavior.
- Discourage all forms of oppression.
- Don’t post or share posts promoting rape culture.
- Promote and model healthy relationships and boundaries.
- Support survivors.
This week we focus on communicating the statistics of sexual violence and identifying ways we can change the statistics. This week, take a pledge to rock the statistics.
Rocks with prewritten statistics will be available in A. Lincoln Commons and LLCC Outreach Centers. Grab a rock and write your pledge for rocking the statistics on the rock. Submit a picture of you and your pledge rock (preferred) or just your pledge rock, and you will be entered for a prize drawing. Your picture may also be used for a LLCC Rocking the Statistics video. Enter your participation here. Taking classes online and don’t come on campus? No problem — you can create your own pledge rock and enter.
The schedule for picking up rocks in A. Lincoln Commons:
- April 18, 9-10:30 a.m.
- April 19, 3-4:30 p.m.
- April 20, 1:30-3 p.m.
- April 21, 9-10:30 a.m.
Remember we have been invited to join University of Illinois Springfield in their Take Back the Night event on April 29 at 7 p.m. More details will be announced next week.
If you have any questions, comments or need to report an incident related to sexual assault or harassments, please contact Nikki Baker, compliance and prevention coordinator, at Nikki.Baker@llcc.edu.
¹Statistical information from RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization.