Preventing Sexual Violence: Beyond Awareness, The Courage to Act

Every day, through advertising, music, and media, we are reminded of just how pervasive sexual violence is, and how it has seeped into our society and everyday life, sometimes without our acknowledgement and never with our consent. We are reminded of just how much work we have left to do because so many of our every day experiences involve the subtle or not-so-subtle objectification, exploitation, and degradation of women and children.

April brings an annual opportunity to focus awareness on sexual violence, the culture that perpetuates this violence, and its prevention. Our goal is to not only change the institutional policies and practices that support the behaviors we encounter every day, but also to change our cultural norms so that this type of behavior is not expected, accepted, or tolerated. Sexual Assault Awareness Month brings agencies together to make a loud and unified statement that the current status of women and children in our society is no longer acceptable.

This year’s theme, Preventing Sexual Violence: Beyond Awareness, The Courage to Act, celebrates our current prevention efforts, highlights awareness efforts scheduled throughout April, and inspires newfound energy for continued prevention work throughout Minnesota. This theme speaks to our current prevention efforts to move beyond creating awareness and engaging communities into taking action against sexual violence. We understand that in order to prevent sexual violence, we must change the culture and social norms that encourage a sexually toxic society and fosters sexual violence. In order to change this environment, we need to educate and raise awareness within our communities, and we must also encourage communities to act. It is with this action that change will occur.

As we do this work, we recognize there is a transformation that happens when a person recognizes that the prevention of sexual violence is more than understanding that it happens; more than recognizing that it happens within our own communities; more than believing it is wrong; more than recognizing the root causes and making the connections with the sexually toxic society to which we are all exposed. All of these realizations are vital in having a vested interest in the prevention of sexual violence, but we need more than interest. We need action. We need our communities to find the courage to be proactive and start taking the necessary action to prevent sexual violence. Therefore, it is the perfect time to Prevent Sexual Violence by moving Beyond Awareness and nurturing the Courage To Act.

For more information or ways to get involved in these efforts, please find us online at www.scviolenceprevention.org or visit the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault at www.mncasa.org.

Stevens County Violence Prevention Task Force

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