April is one of the most important months of the year in that April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The goal of SAAM is to raise public awareness about sexual violence and to educate communities on how to prevent it. This is such an important cause not only on campus colleges but nationwide. According to the CDC, in the United States, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 59 men have been raped in their lifetime. Furthermore, most victims first experienced sexual violence before age 25. When 80% of victims experience some form of assault before age 25, it becomes clear that this is a severe problem disproportionately impacting college-age women. Her Campus BC is passionate about this cause and will always continue to support the movement to completely eliminate sexual assault in this country.
We are so glad that The Boston Public Library is doing their part this April to get involved in the National Sexual Assault Awareness Month movement and will be hosting an event on April 14th from 6-7 pm. This event is titled “Resources for Keeping Boston Safe” and will be led by Reference Librarian Christina Manzo where she will present a lecture and demonstrate the usage of popular personal safety apps (including WatchOverMe, Companion, etc.) and other important resources. In this free, one-hour class, guests will be introduced to the apps that can help prevent sexual assault, harassment, and domestic violence. The event will be held at the Tech Classroom in the McKim Building at the Central Library in Copley Square (700 Boylston Street). We hope that this event will be a key resource for Boston residents and are so glad that this topic will be discussed by the Boston Public Library.
Sexual assault on college campuses is a very serious and close matter to our hearts. If you are or someone you know is a victim of sexual violence, Boston College Sexual Assault Network (SANet) is an excellent resource for information, guidance, and support. SANet is available at (617) 552-2211 24-hours a day and every day of the week. The hotline is staffed by “trained advocates… to provide resources and support the survivor or friend of the survivor as they embark on the healing process.” Utilizing free, public events such as the “Resources for Keeping Boston Safe” event and crucial resources such as SANet, we can begin to tackle sexual violence in this country and across college campuses.
Sources:
http://www.cdc.gov/features/sexualviolence/
Boston Public Library, Christina Manzo
http://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/saam_share_…
http://www.bpl.org/programs/calendar.htm#/?i=2
http://www.bc.edu/offices/wc/SANet/Get_Answers.html
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/79/7a/44/797a44a550e67a032459d…