April marks the 24th official anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, but our fight against sexual violence has much deeper roots.
Before SAAM was formally recognized in 2001, brave advocates were already doing the crucial work of awareness and prevention. They understood a fundamental truth: we cannot prevent what we don’t acknowledge, and awareness without action creates no change.
This movement was built by survivors and allies, particularly Black women and women of color like Rosa Parks, who challenged both racial and gender-based violence decades before the term “intersectionality” was coined.
Join us this month in both raising awareness AND taking action. Because awareness without action is just noise.
The 1970s saw the founding of the first rape crisis center in San Francisco (1971) and the first U.S. Take Back the Night march (1978). Later came legislative victories like the Violence Against Women Act (1993), showing that national prevention efforts were essential.
In 2000, advocates chose the teal ribbon as SAAM’s symbol, and a coordinated national awareness month was born.
This April, as we mark nearly a quarter century of official recognition, we honor those who broke the silence long before it was safe to do so. Their courage made our voices possible.
Join us this month in both raising awareness AND taking action. Because awareness without action is just noise.
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