How to Get Your Chapter Involved in SAAPM

April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM). If your chapter wants to get involved and advocate for sexual assault awareness and prevention in your community, some of the tips below may be beneficial. 

Trigger warning: This post deals with themes of sexual assault. It outlines resources for survivors, as well as broad advocacy ideas for chapters. 

1. Provide your chapter access to sexual assault resources — both on and off campus.  

Research sexual assault and mental health resources on campus and share them with the members in your chapter. 

Many websites and phone services provide confidential as well as non-confidential help. 

Chat online at online.rainn.org or call (800)-656-4673 for confidential 24/7 support. 

Visit the National Sexual Violence Resource Center for documents that outline prevention resources. 

An in-depth description of sexual assault can be found here.
Trigger warning: contains mention of rape and other acts of sexual violence. 

2. Advocate for sexual assault organizations on your campus. 

Many campuses have sexual assault prevention organizations; advocate for these organizations within your chapter! 

South Dakota Alpha had a speaker from iCARE –an organization dedicated to sexual assault prevention and victim empowerment– give a presentation to the chapter, which outlined definitions of sexual assault, how to listen and respond to victims, and how to prevent sexual assault within the community. Your chapter can contact campus professionals, such as a Title IX coordinator, for similar presentations and resources. 

If your campus does not have an organization dedicated to sexual assault awareness, urge your sisters to start one. This could be an empowering leadership opportunity as well as a chance to be involved with community service and campus involvement. 

3. Educate your chapter on consent. 

When discussing consent, an easy acronym to remember is “Consent is FRIES.” 

• Freely given 
• Reversible 
• Informed 
• Enthusiastic 
• Specific  

Consent should not be the result of coercion or threat. 

Intoxication is a barrier to consent. Alcohol education as well as an understanding of consent may be beneficial to the members in your chapter. 

4. Participate in Denim Day. 

Trigger warning: the history of Denim Day contains themes of rape and sexual assault.  

Urge your chapter to participate in Denim Day on April 28, 2021. The story of Denim Day began in the 1990s. Read the full story here.

Denim Day is supported by communities throughout the world. In 2019, 10,679,597 wore jeans in support of Denim Day. 

If your chapter participates, share photos on social media with #denimday to engage with the community and advocate for sexual assault awareness.

Published April 15, 2021
photo source: plannedparenthood.org