With April observed as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), plans are in place to bring attention to the issue locally. PREVAIL, Pioneering Restoration and Elevating Voices of Advocacy, Idealism and Leadership, is the lead organization in San Joaquin County in the awareness campaign.
Sexual violence is any sexual activity where consent is not obtained or not freely given. It impacts every community and affects people of all genders, sexual orientations, and ages. The perpetrator of sexual violence is usually someone the victim knows, such as a friend, current or former intimate partner, coworker, neighbor, or family member. It can occur in person or through technology, such as posting or sharing sexual pictures of someone without their consent, or non-consensual sexting. The National theme of this year’s campaign is: Drawing Connections: Prevention Demands Equity.
Statistics show that:
Every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted;
Every nine minutes, that victim is a child;
Only 25 out of every 1,000 perpetrators will end up in prison;
Fifty-nine percent of perpetrators are acquaintances of the victim, 34 percent are family members, and only seven percent are strangers.
During the 2022-2023 fiscal year, PREVAIL served 461 victims of sexual assault and 273 family members of a victim.
This year, the community is encouraged to help raise awareness in a few ways, with special days and projects scattered throughout the month.
Teal Day
All are invited to join PREVAIL to kick off the Sexual Assault Awareness Campaign at Michael’s Pizza, 2300 W. Alpine Ave., Stockton, on Tuesday. April 2. Members of the PREVAIL team will be there from noon to 4 p.m.; Michael’s Pizza will be donating a percentage of their sales during this event to support services for victims of sexual assault. Wear teal, the color of sexual violence prevention. Whether it’s a ribbon, shirt, or accessory, show your support by sharing your teal look and tag PREVAIL on your social media.
Teal Sand Project
PREVAIL is inviting authorities, organizations, and partner agencies to bring awareness and open dialogues by displaying its Teal Sand Project. PREVAIL provides the sand, posters, and their team joins each partner to fill the cracks or grout in the sidewalk, main entrance, or courtyard at the various locations symbolizing the community coming together to fill the gaps for victims of sexual assault. This campaign will be highlighted through the month of April in PREVAIL’s social media; the sand is completely safe and washable.
There is no cost to host the Teal Sand Project at a location, though contributions are accepted.
Denim Day
PREVAIL is inviting the community to join in this fundraising opportunity. Everyone is encouraged to wear denim on Wednesday, April 24 and donate $5 or wear ripped jeans and donate $10. All donations made to PREVAIL will be directed to provide services to individuals impacted by sexual violence. This campaign will be available on their website: https://weshallprevail.org/
PREVAIL, formerly Women’s Center-Youth and Family Services, is San Joaquin County’s only provider of free, confidential shelter and services specifically designed to meet the needs of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and homeless and runaway youth. During the last year, PREVAIL provided services to over 5,000 participants through its various programs.
