April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (#SAAPM) and the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CCASA) has mounted a campaign called Colorado Denim Day, in hopes of drawing awareness and support to victims of sexual assault. Colorado Denim Day is Wednesday, April 29th, and is geared toward starting a conversation about sexual violence and showing support for sexual violence survivors. One of the best things we can do for victims of sexual violence is to #StartByBelieving.
With this campaign on the brain, an odd question came to mind: How long do you think it takes to get dressed in the morning? According to one survey on Google, the average person takes 17 MINUTES to get dressed! It doesn’t seem like a lot out of your day, but a lot can happen in that short time.
During that 17 minute span, at least 11 people will be sexually assaulted; one of those 11 will be a child.
Unfortunately, sexual assault is one of the most under-reported crimes in the country. Only 230 out of every 1000 sexual assaults are ever reported to law enforcement; 75% of sexual assaults are never reported. The reason why victims do not report varies; some have a fear of retaliation from their perpetrator; other victims fear not being believed; some even choose not to report based on the belief that their victimization isn’t important enough.
Sexual Assault impacts more people than one may realize; in one year, there are at least 321,500 American victims of sexual assault (over the age of 12). Sexual assault impacts men, women, and children. Male college students are 5x more likely to be sexually assaulted than men of other ages; female victims of the same group are 3x as likely to be sexually assaulted. The majority of victims of sexual assault are under the age of 35, with 12 to 34 year-old’s making up 69% of all victims.
54% of sexual assault victims are between the ages of 18 to 34.
Throughout the month of April, and every day thereafter, it is so important to show your support for the millions of victims of sexual assault. The first step is to #StartByBelieving. Wear a teal ribbon. Volunteer for or donate to your local victim service provider. Read AVRC’s 2018 #SAAMP article to learn more about sexual assault.
Know that support and safety is out there. If you, or someone you know, is or has been a victim of sexual assault, or you want to learn more about how to support local victims, AVRC Staff is available 24/7!
415 Colorado Avenue
La Junta, CO 81050
24 Hour Hotline: (719) 384-7764
TTY: (719) 384-1938
After Hours Colorado Relay dial 711 or 1-800-659-2656
Statistics regarding sexual assault provided by RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network). https://www.rainn.org/statistics
AVRC is non-discriminatory agency regarding race, religion, color, gender, country of national origin, sexual orientation, mental health status, substance use or economic condition.