April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. During the month of April, Mason’s Student Advocacy and Support Center (SSAC) spends this time raising awareness of sexual and interpersonal violence, honoring survivors, and bringing the university together to engage in prevention education and self-care. Due to COVID-19 and social distancing, we look forward to engaging more through our social media and other virtual platforms in keeping with our commitment to survivors and the Mason community.
We hope you will join us on Instagram and Facebook to support our virtual 2020 SAAM efforts. Please visit our Facebook and Instagram pages: @ssacgmu, as well as our new blog, ssacadvocate.onmason.com, to engage with us!
Advocate Self-Care Series- the rest of the semester and beyond
The sexual and interpersonal violence advocates within the Student Support and Advocacy Center are still here for your student. SSAC will be hosting #AdvocatesSelfCareSeries virtually with information about boundaries, grounding, practicing self-care, safety, self-love, dealing with anxiety and transition, and more. Check out the content on SSAC’s social media and their new blog: ssacadvocate.onmason.com.
Art of Self-Care- now through the end of April
For the past two years, the Student Support and Advocacy Center has created an event called the “Art of Self-Care” for Sexual Assault Awareness Month which is a space to engage in art and creative work with special consideration for trauma survivors, activists, and people in the anti-violence movement. Check out SSAC’s Facebook or Instagram for our activities and you can participate by emailing Courtney Diener at cdiener@gmu.edu OR tagging us on social media to share your artwork too!
Denim Day- April 29th, 2020 – Virtually throughout the world!
Denim Day is a campaign on a Wednesday each April. The campaign began in response to a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court where a rape conviction was overturned because the justices felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans she must have helped the person who assaulted her remove her jeans, thereby implying consent. The following day, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim.
Each year, communities across the country have participated and we are excited to the do the same, virtually this year. We want to join in the message that nothing, no piece of clothing, no substance, indicates consent. Only with affirmative consent can we fully engage in sexual activity. We support the woman in the case and all survivors in believing them and asking for our entire community to get involved to end sexual violence.
Join the staff in the Student Support and Advocacy Center in sharing the message that there is nothing anyone could ever do to deserve to experience sexual assault. By wearing denim on April 29th, you are showing support for survivors and challenging victim blaming in our community. Show your support for survivors of sexual assault by wearing your denim on 4/29 wherever you are! Tag us on social media @SSACGMU and use the hashtag #GMUSAAM.
Courtney Diener
Student Support and Advocacy Center
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