Many of you reading this may not know it, but April kicked off Sexual Assault Awareness Month or what is often referred to as SAAM. Unfortunately in our city, SAAM was also kicked off by a brazen and brutal sexual assault on the University of Illinois at Chicago ( UIC ) campus. As the horrific details of this account become public, our community is faced with the reality that sexual violence can happen to anyone, at anytime, anywhere. This is why YWCA Metropolitan Chicago is a steadfast supporter of SAAM.
YWCA Metropolitan Chicago is proud to be the largest provider of comprehensive, sexual assault services - without charge — within the State of Illinois. Through our Sexual Violence Support Services, we operate the Chicago Rape Crisis Hotline; provide high-quality, confidential individual counseling to sexual assault survivors ages 3 and up and their non-offending family members; offer prevention education services to schools, youth-focused agencies and professionals; and provide 24-hour medical and legal advocacy services to survivors of sexual assault and sexual abuse.
First observed nationally in 2001, the National Sexual Violence Resource Center asserts that "the goal of SAAM is to raise public awareness about sexual violence and to educate communities and individuals on how to prevent sexual violence. By working together and pooling our resources during the month of April, sexual violence can be highlighted as a major public health, human rights and social justice issue and reinforce the need for prevention efforts."
The numbers speak for themselves:
- Rape or sexual assault is the most costly of all crimes in the United States. In 2008, violence and abuse constituted up to 37.5% of total health costs, or up $750 billion. ( National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, 2011 )
- Every two minutes, someone in the United States is sexually assaulted and 60% of these assaults are never reported to the police, making it the most underreported violent crime in America. ( The National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 2012 )
- Fifty percent of sexual violence victims had to quit or were forced to leave their jobs in the year following their assaults due to the severity of their reactions. ( National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, 2011 )
These numbers should alarm everyone. What is clear is that sexual violence is a major health and social issue in our country. These very brief statistics demonstrate that. Teal is the official observance color of SAAM. YWCA Metropolitan Chicago would like the country to recognize the severity of this crime throughout the entire month of April with cities lighting up their skylines with teal, professional sports teams wearing teal shoes and newspapers printing little teal ribbons in the corners of their paper to highlight the widespread impact that sexual assault has on our families and communities.
If you are interested in supporting SAAM, there are many awareness activities planned throughout the month. Visit www.ywcachicago.org to see a list of events hosted by our organization. Additionally, if you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual assault, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago can help. Call our Rape Crisis Hotline at 1-888-293-2080.
About YWCA Metropolitan Chicago: Since its founding more than 136 years ago, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago has been committed to serving the needs of women and girls. The YWCA's mission to eliminate racism and empower women is actualized through a large breadth of programs and services. Regardless of race or economic status, the YWCA provides women with the support and tools they need to transform their lives, be confident in their choices and make valuable contributions to their communities. The YWCA's Core programmatic areas include: Economic Empowerment Services, Sexual Violence and Support Services and Early Childhood Services. The YWCA serves almost 150,000 women, children and families annually through these programs. And while the YWCA's services are broad and varied, they are linked by a common thread—a dedication to promoting racial justice and personal empowerment. For more information about how you can support the YWCA, visithttp://www.ywcachicago.org or contact us at 312-762-2762. You can also find us on Facebook( www.facebook.com/ywcachicago ) or Twitter @YWCAChicago .
