Oseli Bencomo
Lantern Staff
Trigger warning, this story discusses topics of assault and rape.
April is marked as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), a time to educate communities about prevention strategies and increase public awareness about sexual violence.
According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, the US, one in three women and one in six men report having experienced sexual violence at some point in their lives.
According to RAINN organization, on average, there are 463,634 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault each year in the United States. Women ages 18-24 who are college students are three times more likely than other age demographics in general to experience sexual violence. Females of the same age who are not enrolled in college are four times more likely.
Sexual violence can have long term effects on victims like 94% of rape survivors experience some form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 13% of rape survivors attempt suicide and 84% of survivors who were victimized by an intimate partner experience professional or emotional issues at school and/or work.
Sexual assault is still remarkably underreported, despite these startling statistics.
It is important to educate one another about consent and healthy relationships. The primary goal is to support survivors.
The National Sexual Assault Hotline is available 24/7 at: 800-656-4673
Report any kind of sexual misconduct with Butler CC’s Title IX coordinator Sherri Conard at 316.323.6373 or sconard@butlercc.edu.