Sexual Awareness Month is Here - We Got a Lot for You!

This is a combined logo for SAAM2025 (Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2025) and Courageous Access. The are these words written in black: "Together we act, united we change. Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2025. Courageous Access. #permission". These words sit on a white background with multiple colors of green, yellow, orange, and black.

What is Sexual Assault (SA)?

Sexual violence is an umbrella term that includes any type of unwanted sexual contact — including sexual abuse, assault, and harassment.

What are the Types of Sexual Assault?

Forms of sexual violence include:

Rape or sexual assault
Sexual harassment
Sexual abuse
Unwanted sexual contact/touching
Sexual exploitation and trafficking,
Exposing one’s genitals or naked body to others without consent,
Nonconsensual image sharing and/or coercion (including AI-generated imagery)
Words and actions of a sexual nature against a person’s will and without their consent

But I thought Courageous Access was an org for DV (domestic violence)? What does SA (sexual assault) have to do with your org?

An average of 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States

The numbers of Black women experiencing this type of violence are usually higher for many reasons, but here are a few:

Strong Black Woman Trope. This actually came from the Mammy caricature. Mammy is excuse given by white supremacy to not have to support Black women based on the convenient reputation that Black women are self-sufficient, don't need to be taken care of, and love taking care of others. Therefore, when Black women feel overpowered, we often feel the need to deny that truth, and handle it ourselves secretly so as not to tarnish the image of the self-sufficient Black woman.
Loyalty to Black Men. Many Black women are abused by Black men. In the Black community, we are brought up as Black girls to be loyal to our men and protect their reputation from the world. Think back to R. Kelly and Bill Cosby. Even when the proof was undeniable, Black women were seen defending these Black men vehemently because they were offended that their reputations and livelihoods would dare to suffer - although these men were alleged serial rapists.
Community Judgement. Black women who "break up the family" due to separating themselves and their children from abusive men are often rejected by their communities. They are usually denied help and even compassion because they have not "stayed and worked things out".

What are the risks for a Black woman experiencing SA within a DV relationship?

There are many, but one of the biggest ones is something being left behind - as in a sexually transmitted disease - HIV or another STI (sexually transmitted illness.

What can WE do to help?

This month, during SAAM, MANY THINGS!!!

Watch the PSA video right here to learn

A video about SA from National Sexual Violence Resource Center

Download this handy tip sheet from the NSVRC (National Sexual Violence Resource Center) to learn more about how it impacts every one of us and what we can do for prevention.

Download this sheet about our words and actions in changing minds about educating about sexual abuse, assault, and harassment.

Download this PDF to learn the basics of PREVENTION

A HUGE part of prevention is figuring out who's most at risk. Did you know:

More than 1 and 4 non-Hispanic Black women (29%) in the United States were raped in their lifetime

Learning more about risk and protective factors, helps us do a better job preventing it AND targeting the demographics in our community who are likely suffering in silence. Click here to download the PDF.

I'm going to check all these out! Are there any other ways I can get help or support SAAM2025?

Yes!

SUPPORT FOR SURVIVORS - KNOW YOUR STATUS:

We're going to be a testing site on April 26 from 12 noon - 6 pm that day! Black Women, it's FREE and we need to know our status! Please click "GOING" on the Facebook event so our professional staff knows about how many to expect!

FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM OUR COMMUNITY:

We're going to do our 2nd annual fundraiser, and it started today! Get Krispy Kreme doughnuts and help us raise money to assist our Black women DV survivors during SAAM2025! Remember, many of them are also SA survivors and either don't know or won't report - either way, we need you. It's simple to participate and delicious to support! Just click, pay, and use that code to support us all over the country! CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR DOZENS!

We're always going to have the information you need as Black women to have #permission to heal and stay safe from domestic violence.

~ Courageous Access