April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. On Tuesday, April 1, over 30 people gathered at the Fort Totten Rec Center to show their support for victims and spread the message to end sexual assault. A walk was planned but was done inside the gym due to the weather conditions.
People who came made handmade posters, got a free t-shirt, and were provided lunch and cake. The first Tuesday of SAAM is a Day of Action, where groups organize across the United States. Traditional prayers were also performed at the gathering.
Jolene Crosswhite, director of the Victims’ Assistance program in Fort Totten, helped organize the gathering. I thought it was appropriate to do the walk on Take Action Day,” she said.
Crosswhite said people were asked to tie a teal ribbon around trees or use teal light bulbs. Teal is the official color of SAAM and shows support for survivors. “You show survivors that you’re a safe person to go to for help.”
For the turnout, Crosswhite said she was very happy to see more men come to support, saying it was “amazing and awesome.”
“Normally, it’s just women when we do events,” she said. “We had more men, and I thank them for that. They can provide that awareness and spread the word on sexual assault.”
“I thought [the] event was a success,” she said. “30 people now have awareness.”
When Crosswhite spoke at the gathering, she did something to send a strong message about sexual assault numbers. Every 68 seconds, someone was taken from the crowd and stood off to the side. Why 68 seconds? Accoridng to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, that is how often a sexual assault occurs.
“I thought it was a powerful message,” Crosswhite said.
Crosswhite said other events would be planned for April. There will be self-defense classes on April 14 to April 17. They will take place at 5 p.m. at the Wellness Centers in Woodlake, St. Michael, Fort Totten, and Crowhill respectively. These will be for ages eight and up. Any questions call 710-350-0288.
There will also be Denim Day on April 30. This is involves a case in Italy where the court overturned a rape case due to the victim wearing tight jeans. People are supposed to wear denim on this day to show support.
