April is observed annually as Sexual Assault Awareness Month—a public campaign designed to raise awareness about sexual assault and to educate people and the communities they live in on how to prevent sexual violence. This month is observed by various organizations around the world.

These organizations include government agencies, rape crisis centers, businesses, colleges and universities, and community-based organizations. The purpose of this month is not just to eradicate rape and molestation but to address all forms of sexual assault, including incest, human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and sexual harassment. It’s a month that everyone should get involved in to help solve these problems in communities around the world.

The History of Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Sexual Assault Awareness Month began in April 2001 and was originally founded and observed by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. Since its creation, however, many different nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government agencies have raised the profile of this month so that it can raise the public’s awareness about the epidemic of sexual assault that exists in the world.

Facts About Sexual Assault in the United States

Before any of us can really tackle the problem of sexual assault, we first have to identify the scope of the problem. To help facilitate that process, we’ve listed some facts about sexual assault that should give our readers a better understanding of the problem and hopefully motivate them to get involved to help solve it.

• An American is sexually assaulted every 73 seconds.
• Native Americans are twice as likely to experience sexual assault compared to all other races.
• Over 40% of sexual assaults against Native Americans are committed by a stranger.
• Approximately 34% of Native American sexual assault victims are assaulted by an acquaintance, and 25% are assaulted by an intimate partner or family member.
• Approximately 20% of American women have reported an attempted or completed rape at some point in their lives.
• Approximately 1 out of 5 transgender or gender nonconforming college students have been sexually assaulted.
• Every year in the U.S. prison system, about 80,000 inmates face sexual violence.

Observing Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Anyone and everyone who has heard about Sexual Assault Awareness Month should take the time and effort to raise awareness about it using whatever platform they have. For most people, that means telling friends and family members about this month or spreading the word about it online using the hashtag #SexualAssaultAwarenessMonth.

People should also take the time to volunteer for organizations that are working in the trenches to end sexual assault for all of us.