TalkHER.org

April: Sexual Assault Awareness Month (Let’s talk about it)

Published by

Maria Isabella Uncu

on

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) and before this turns into another vague “raise awareness” moment, let’s be clear about something:

Awareness without action is just aesthetic.

This isn’t just about posting a teal ribbon and moving on. It’s about understanding the reality, knowing what support actually looks like, and making sure people have access to resources when they need them the most.

Because statistically, this is not rare.
And silence doesn’t protect anyone.

The Reality (That People Still Avoid Saying Out Loud)

Sexual assault is far more common than people are comfortable admitting.

  • In the U.S., 1 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetime
  • The majority of perpetrators are known to the victim
  • Many cases go unreported due to fear, shame, or not being believed

And yet, people still treat it as if it happened “elsewhere” or “to other people.”

It doesn’t matter who it happens to. IT HAPPENS to around 20% of women in the US. A country that, according to our government, is all about “rights.”

Well, why are our rights taken for granted, our rights to choose? Why are drug traffickers sentenced with fewer penalties than rapists?

Rape itself is one of the most selfish crimes someone can commit. A crime that benefits only one party and destroys the other’s life. The consequences are not temporary or easy to get over. They are life-altering and leave wounds that won’t ever close.

Let’s Clear Something Up: What Counts as Sexual Assault?

Sexual assault is not just one extreme scenario.

It includes:

  • Any sexual activity without clear, enthusiastic consent
  • Coercion, pressure, or manipulation into sex (even if you said yes after saying no 100 times still counts)
  • Being under the influence and unable to consent
  • Being guilted, threatened, or worn down into saying yes

If someone has to be convinced, pressured, or pushed into it, that is not consent.

That is coercion.

And coercion is sexual violence.

The Part No One Teaches: The Aftermath

People love to focus on “prevention” and ignore what happens after.

The reality is, survivors may experience:

  • Anxiety, depression, or PTSD
  • Feeling disconnected from their body
  • Shame, even when it wasn’t their fault
  • Difficulty trusting others or forming relationships

And one of the most harmful things?
When people minimize it.

Comments like:

  • “Are you sure?”
  • “Why didn’t you leave?”
  • “It wasn’t that bad”

Those don’t help. They make it worse.

If Someone Tells You Here’s What You Actually Do

This is where people either show up correctly… or completely fumble.

If someone confides in you:

Say:

  • “I believe you.”
  • “That wasn’t your fault.”
  • “You didn’t deserve that.”

Do NOT say:

  • “Why didn’t you fight back?”
  • “What were you wearing?”
  • “Are you sure?”

Your role is not to investigate.
Your role is to support.

If It Happened to You

Let’s make something very clear:

It was not your fault.
Not what you wore.
Not what you said.
Not what you drank.
Not how you reacted.

There is no “perfect victim” response.

Some people freeze.
Some people comply to stay safe.
Some people don’t fully process it until later.

All of those are valid.

Resources You Should Actually Know (And Save)

If you or someone you know needs support, these are real, confidential options:

Immediate Support

  • RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
    Hotline: 800-656-HOPE (4673)
    Chat: https://www.rainn.org
    → 24/7, confidential, connects you to local resources

Crisis Support

  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
    Call or text: 988
    → For emotional distress, including trauma-related crises

Young People & Dating Abuse

LGBTQ+ Support

Medical + Legal Guidance

  • You can go to a hospital for a forensic exam (rape kit)
  • You do not have to immediately decide to press charges
  • Many areas have Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) trained to support survivors

The Bigger Problem: Culture

We cannot talk about sexual assault without talking about the culture that allows it to happen.

  • Victim blaming is still common
  • Women are still taught to “be careful” instead of people being taught not to harm
  • Boundaries are still dismissed or negotiated

And the double standard? Still alive and well.

Women are:

  • Shamed for being sexual
  • Blamed when something happens
  • Expected to “move on” quickly

While perpetrators are often protected, excused, or minimized.

That’s the system. And it needs to be challenged.

What Awareness Should Actually Look Like

Not just posts. Not just hashtags.

Real awareness looks like:

  • Teaching clear consent early
  • Believing survivors
  • Calling out harmful behavior
  • Creating safer environments
  • Making resources visible and accessible

Because the goal is not just to “talk about it.”

It’s to change what happens next.

Final Thought (And I Mean This)

If you take one thing from this:

Someone you know has likely experienced this.

Whether they’ve told you or not.

So how you talk about it, respond to it, and understand it?
It matters more than you think.

Sources

Leave a comment

Let’s Link

Let’s Keep This Between Us, Gorgeous 💌

Get tips, secrets, and stories too juicy for the blog.

Recent posts