A rally in Minnesota to show support for rape survivors (Photo available under Creative Commons CC BY-SA 2.0 – No changes made)
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April, 2025 marks the 25 official anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, (SAAM). The awareness for sexual assault and domestic abuse started in the civil rights era, during the 1940s and 50s. The importance has grown and is still being represented today.
Sexual Abuse
Over 53% of women and 29% of men reported experiencing sexual abuse in 2023 according to a National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey. Some forms of sexual violence are rape, sex trafficking, unwanted sexual contact, exposing nudity to others without consent and sexual words being used against someone’s will or consent.
According to Mayo Clinic, in the United States it is estimated that over 60,000 children are sexually abused each year. This can be physical, but exposing oneself to a child, showing pornography and sexual conversations are other forms commonly used with children.
Individual Effects of Sexual Assault
Sexual trauma affects a person’s physical, emotional and social health. However, some do not realize their trauma depending on their age during the abuse. This makes it harder for victims to identify the connections between their history and current struggles.
People may lose a sense of self, especially if the abuser was a family member or close friend. This allows the abuser to use emotional manipulation by making the victim believe what they are doing is normal. As time progresses, the victim may feel that they are in the wrong, rather than the abuser.
Some people may feel that the world around them is unreal or foggy, called derealization. Their actions and thoughts feel like they are happening to another person, known as depersonalization. These are both ways that the brain protects itself when getting triggered from an emotional or overwhelming situation.
A child who was sexually assaulted struggles with developing healthy responses to stress. Regulating emotions can become harder, making emotional outbursts more common. This is referred to as emotional dysregulation. Victims who experience trauma reactions and have severe emotional dysregulation might get diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Other common mental disorders are anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Generation Effects
Transgenerational trauma is a type of trauma that does not end with one person, but continues through each generation. This is due to the fact that female babies are born with all the eggs they will carry in their lifetime. Meaning, when one person carries a female fetus, three generations are present in the same biological environment. All three people are exposed to the same emotions and experiences, even though one of them has not been conceived.
Families with a history of trauma, anxiety, depression and addiction will continue to pass these attributes down onto future generations, including sexual trauma. A younger generation could repeat the same patterns or behavior of a former generation, such as derealization or emotional dysregulation, whether they are healthy or not.
History of Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Before SAAM, advocates for sexual violence held events, marches and observances during April. Sometimes, this would be a week-long period called “Sexual Assault Awareness Week.” Now, sexual assault is resembled by a teal ribbon.
The start of awareness occurred during the equal rights movement. Black women and people of color would advocate for the end of sexual violence. Rosa Parks would work at intersections of race-based and gender-based violence.
This progressed into the 1970s, which created further support and awareness for survivors. This led to the first rape crisis center in San Franscisco during 1971. As time went on, advocates called for legislation and funding to support survivors. The Violence Against Women Act of 1973 provides housing for those who have experience sexual abuse.
