April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Sexual Assault Awareness Month, is?
Since 2001, April has been recognized as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), a time for individuals, schools, organizations, and agencies across the country to collectively raise awareness of sexual assault issues.

The Official Color of SAAM.
In 2001, all the United States and territories were surveyed, based on their responses teal became the official color representing sexual violence awareness and prevention.

The Slogan.
"Prevent Sexual Violence...in our communities."

How It Began?
Reclaim The Night, the women of Belgium attending the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women. They marched together holding candles in protest against worldwide violence against women.

Take Back The Night Marches, 1977 the women in England began protesting against the crimes happening to them day and night on the very streets in the communities which they lived. The first known organized Take Back The Night march in the United States took place in 1978 in San Francisco California. Whereby, the women marched through the red light district in protest of rape and pornography. A natural progression of organized movement continued. Take Back The Nights started to protest the sexual violence towards children and men.

During the 1980's the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault was established and by the late 1980's worked with state sexual assault coalitions to designate a national Sexual Assault Week. It was decided for the month of April. In the 1990's, April was the month advocates an other alliances began nationally contributing to the growth of sexual violence awareness.

From 2000 to 2001, the Resource Sharing Project (RSP) and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), polled state, territory, and tribal coalitions. The color teal was the preferred color and April was the preferred month for national sexual assault awareness.

Thus, giving birth to Sexual Assault Awareness Month.