Spring semester is the longest and shortest semester, it feels like. January is all about coming back from break and catching up with friends. February is getting back in the hang of things. March is just for counting down the days until Spring Break, and April is when we’re in denial about how finals are in a few weeks. While these past few weeks have been filled with many events and happenings around campus and Tuscaloosa, April is important for another reason that doesn’t get as much attention: Sexual Assault Awareness Month. You probably saw a picture promoting an event pop up somewhere on your Facebook newsfeed, but that was about the extent of it. It’s been nationally observed since 2001, and each year there has been a theme promoted by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center as they try to provide resources, tools, and customized help nationally to those in need. Locally, there are resources like the Counseling Center and the Women and Gender Resource Center.
April is almost to a close, but there is still so much to say about why this month needs to be talked about. 1 in 5 women are sexually assaulted in college, but 90% don’t report it. Why? The most common reason is that they don’t want anyone to know. Telling the police and not having them believe you, or even telling you to just forget about it, deters most victims from reporting it, as well as the potential loss of confidentiality if a trial ensues. Still, part of the problem is that they’re not sure what has just happened. 35% of victims report that the reason they didn’t tell law enforcement is because it was “unclear that it was a crime or that harm was intended.” This confusion doesn’t come from a grey area, but rather from a sense of shame, denial, and internalized misconceptions, which is where SAAM becomes so important. For victims struggling to deal with these events without the help of professionals, and even those who know that something happened but aren’t totally sure what, accessible resources are vital in the recovery process. Not only does the immediate trauma affect them, it has physical risks such as STDs and can lead to mental illness, like anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Getting help is not easy; it may be one of the hardest steps in the aftermath, but it’s so, so important. Whether it’s just a doctor for an STD test or seeking out counseling, it can help beyond measures. How comfortable this is varies with each person, and it’s understandable to want to avoid this and sort through everything yourself. However, it’s important that everyone knows these resources are available and what their options are. No one should feel alone, especially in the face of something like this. Whether they confide in a friend or seek professional help, I hope that everyone knows help is out there, and it gets better.