Editor’s note: PHS Student Support Counselor Stephanie Clayton wrote this guest column for Eagle Nation Online April 4, 2023. Contact a staff member if you have a guest column or article idea to pitch. We recognize and appreciate student and staff input.

Today is the National Sexual Assault Awareness Month Day of Action. What is that? It is a day when supporters of Sexual Assault Awareness wear teal in support of spreading awareness and prevention of sexual assault. I have teal ribbons in my office that you are welcome to come to get if you would like, and you can wear it today and throughout the month of April.

I wanted to share a few statistics from the CDC about why this month is important:

Sexual assault includes any unwanted forms of sexual contact.

Over half of the women and one in three men will experience sexual violence in their lifetime.

One in four teens reports they were verbally or physically pressured into having sex.

One in ten girls and one in 20 boys are forced into sex.

Sexual assault often occurs early in life, with more than four out of five female rape survivors reporting they were first reaped before the age of 25. Perpetrators of sexual violence are usually not strangers to the victims and are usually someone the victim knows, loves and/or trusts.

Sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes among teenagers. Why? For several reasons, but mostly because teen victims feel that they won’t be believed, nothing will happen even if they are believed, fear of punishment from parents/adults, fear of being blamed, shame and embarrassment.

Below are resources and attachments from Clayton.

https://www.nsvrc.org/saam