April’s National Sexual Assault Awareness Month focuses attention on an issue that affects people of every age, race, faith and socioeconomic level – and in every city, town and rural area. Sexual assault remains pervasive in our culture, but we can help make a positive change by believing survivors when they choose to speak their truth.

By believing survivors, we become honest with ourselves and the reality that sexual assault can happen to oneself, a loved one or anyone.

By believing survivors, we shift a culture that dismisses and blames survivors and further normalizes sexual violence, to one that focuses on survivors’ well-being.

By believing survivors, we provide support in tangible ways: allowing stories to be shared, creating safe spaces, listening, understanding and offering to help survivors locate resources.

By believing survivors, we create a culture in which survivors are unafraid to come forward because they know they will not be blamed and shamed.

By believing survivors, we help change a culture thousands of years in the making, to begin the next step of holding perpetrators of sexual assault and harassment accountable.

Together we can change the culture by believing survivors.

If you would like to a host Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) speaker for your business, organization or group, please contact us at (231) 347-0067.

For information on confidential sexual assault services provided at no cost by WRCNM, call (800) 275-1995 or visit wrcnm.org.

Sexual violence affects all of us:

• Sexual assault happens to people of all ages, races, religions and socioeconomic status.
• Sexual assault occurs in rural areas, small towns and larger cities.
• 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually assaulted by age eighteen.
• Rape or attempted rape occurs every 5 minutes in the U.S.
• Most sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knows.
• Sexual assault is motivated by hostility, power and control.
• Sexual assault is NEVER the victim’s fault.