Each year during the month of April, state, territory, tribal and community-based organizations, rape crisis centers, government agencies, businesses, campuses and individuals plan events and activities to highlight sexual violence as a public health, human rights and social justice issue and reinforce the need for prevention efforts.
The 1970s saw a significant growth for prevention and awareness of sexual violence across the country, following the general trend of social activism throughout the decade.
Created in 2001, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is an international men's march to stop rape, sexual assault, and gender violence.
The event was originally created in response to an Italian Supreme Court case in which a rape conviction was overruled because the victims tight jeans implied consent.
[13] In 2018, SAAM celebrated its 17th anniversary with the theme Embrace Your Voice to inform individuals on how they can use their words to promote safety, respect, and equality to stop sexual violence before it happens.
More specifically, individuals can embrace their voices to show their support for survivors, stand up to victim blaming, shut down rape jokes, correct harmful misconceptions, promote everyday consent, and practice healthy communications with children.
NSVRC developed four key resources for this campaign including fact-sheets, Embrace Your Voice, Everyday Consent, Healthy Communications with Kids, and Understanding Sexual Violence.