This April, go beyond awareness. For Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), IUPUI is encouraging students to prevent, intervene and support when it comes to situations of sexual assault. The interpersonal violence team at CAPS is hosting several events throughout the month to equip students with the skills they need to make campus a safer place for themselves and their friends.
Andrea Jacobson, founder of the Domestic Abuse Prevention Student Organization (DAPSO) and one of the leaders of the SAAM committee, emphasizes the importance of SAAM as a student-led awareness month.
"Our goal is to get a lot of different students across campus connected this April," Jacobson said. "Many student organizations already organize their own SAAM events, or have programs to help survivors of sexual assault, so we want to highlight these student orgs and their resources this month."
Viviane Linos, assistant director of Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Advocacy, hopes this year’s SAAM events help students feel empowered and educated. "To that end, our theme is: Prevent. Intervene. Support." she said.
Prevent
The best way to stop sexual assault is to know how to prevent it. Prevention education is a powerful tool for challenging the ways sexual assault is normalized in our culture. Defining consent is one of the essential components of prevention.
Intervene
Intervening in potentially dangerous situations is another key skill. If you find yourself as a bystander, remember the 3 Ds of intervention: Direct. Delegate. Distract. Keep in mind the goal of bystander intervention is always to de-escalate the situation and keep you and others safe.
Support
When supporting someone who has experienced sexual violence, it’s important to start by believing them and listening. CAPS offers a confidential advocate for students and employees who have experienced sexual or interpersonal violence at: saadv@iupui.edu
Be a part of the change this April:
An Open Discussion on Sexual Assault by Black Student Union (BSU) and Prevention Peer Education Program (PPEP)
Tuesday, April 11
5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. in Taylor Hall 2127
Join these two groups as they discuss how sexual violence impacts the Black community. CAPS will also be present to share on- and off-campus resources. Pizza will be provided.
Restored and Ready Conference hosted by Sigma Psi Zeta Sorority, Inc.
Saturday, April 15
10 a.m.–4 p.m. in the Luddy School of Informatics
In their third annual SAAM conference, Sigma Psi Zeta will create a space focused on healing and the prevention of sexual assault. This will include conversations challenging the stigmas surrounding sexual assault and how to combat the many obstacles survivors face.
Genesis Barlow, a member of Sigma Psi Zeta, hopes that conversations will continue beyond the conference. "We intend to inspire these conversations to occur both on and off campus," Barlow said. "In our previous conferences, we have reclaimed our voices, rose up and now we are restored and ready for this year’s conference."
Don’t miss out on other SAAM events happening throughout the month like The Clothesline Project, Take Back the Night, Denim Day and more.