April 8, 2022
April is our favorite month - why?
Because April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) and also Child Abuse Prevention Month (CAPM). That allows us the space to involve our community with these incredibly important topics which affect so many people.
Of course, we are dedicated to raising awareness all year round, but this month it's official! We hope you will take part in a way that is meaningful to you, whether that's learning more about sexual violence and child abuse, encouraging your child to enter our art contest (below), spreading awareness about our resources, or even becoming a volunteer! The options to participate in SAAM and CAPM are endless.
Read on to learn about some activities that you can be involved with during SAAM/CAPM to show your support.
Tag us in your Denim Day photos!
You see, wearing denim on Denim Day is actually an act of protest.
It’s a protest against harmful attitudes about sexual violence. In fact, Denim Day started as a global response to a 1999 Italian Supreme Court decision to overturn a rape conviction because the survivor was wearing tight jeans. The Court overturned the conviction because, since the survivor was wearing tight jeans, she must have helped remove them, therefore the act was considered consensual - not rape.
Soon after, advocates around the nation and world wore denim to protest this court ruling and the toxic beliefs, culture, and myths about sexual violence. Denim Day is now observed annually in April.
This year, Denim Day is Wednesday, April 27. Wear all things denim and tag us in your posts on Facebook/IG! Our handle is @mtryrapecrisis. You can find our social media pages below.
Our youth art contest is back!
We are looking for works of art from Monterey County youth! Enter your art so that you can promote kindness and consent, and get a chance to win a Visa gift card! There are three different categories: K-5th, 6th-8th, and 9th-12th grade.
The works of art should represent what kindness and/or consent means to you.
Please submit entries via our Google Form or contact Jessica Short, our Prevention Educator at: Jessica@mtryrapecrisis.org.
We hope young people will enjoy getting creative for a good cause!
Upcoming workshops: learn more about child abuse
Rosa Zavala, our Child Abuse Treatment Program Manager, will facilitate a virtual workshop in English and one in Spanish, about child abuse and its effects. Topics covered include the four main types of child abuse, reporting, and prevention.
Anyone interested in learning more is welcome to register by clicking here.
Format: Zoom
Date: April 29 (10:00am English, 5:30pm Spanish.)
