If you or someone you know is being hurt,
we can help.
Call our 24/7 helpline: (908)453-4181
Si usted o alguien que conoce está siendo lastimado, podemos ayudarlo.
Llame a nuestra línea de ayuda 24/7: (908)453-4181
O haga clic AQUÍ para hablar con nosotros a través de nuestro chat web 24/7.
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Sexual Assault
Awareness Month
Standing with survivors. Promoting prevention. Building safer communities.
What is Sexual Assault?
Sexual assault is any sexual act or behavior that occurs without a person's freely given consent. It includes a wide range of experiences, including rape, attempted rape, unwanted sexual contact, sexual coercion, child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and technology-facilitated sexual abuse.
Sexual violence can happen to anyone regardless of age, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, ability, or socioeconomic background. Most survivors know the person who harmed them, making these experiences especially complex and difficult to disclose.
Recovery looks different for every survivor, and healing is possible with compassionate support and access to resources.
What is SAAM?
Every April, communities across the country observe Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) to raise awareness, support survivors, educate the public, and promote prevention.
SAAM encourages conversations about consent, healthy relationships, bystander intervention, and creating communities where everyone can live free from sexual violence.
Throughout the month, advocates, survivors, educators, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and community members come together to promote healing and prevention.
Sexual Violence Impacts Every Community
Sexual violence is a widespread public health issue that affects people of every age, gender, race, ethnicity, and background. While anyone can experience sexual violence, research shows that it most often occurs at the hands of someone the survivor knows.
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More than 53% of women and over 29% of men in the United States have experienced contact sexual violence during their lifetime.
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Most survivors report that the person who harmed them was someone they knew, highlighting that sexual violence most often occurs within trusted relationships—not at the hands of strangers.
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Sexual violence disproportionately impacts many communities, including Black women, Hispanic women, American Indian and Alaska Native women, and people with intellectual disabilities, demonstrating the importance of culturally responsive prevention and survivor services.
Behind every statistic is a person, a family, and a community affected by trauma. Sexual Assault Awareness Month reminds us that prevention is possible when we work together to promote consent, healthy relationships, and communities where survivors are believed, supported, and empowered.
The Need Here at Home
Each year, DASACC provides free and confidential services to survivors of sexual violence throughout Warren County.
Our advocates provide:
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24-hour crisis intervention
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Medical and hospital accompaniment
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Law enforcement and court accompaniment
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Individual counseling
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Information and referrals
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Safety planning
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Ongoing advocacy and emotional support
Every survivor deserves to be believed, supported, and empowered to make their own decisions throughout the healing process.
Denim Day
Each April, communities around the world participate in Denim Day—the longest-running sexual violence prevention campaign.
The campaign began after an Italian court overturned a rape conviction based on the incorrect belief that the survivor's tight jeans implied consent. People now wear denim to challenge victim-blaming myths and show solidarity with survivors.
Wear denim, start conversations about consent, and help create a culture that believes survivors.