Warm weather and outdoor activities aside, spring should come as a
reminder for students to be safe.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm declared April Sexual Assault Awareness Month
in an effort to raise awareness and reduce the occurrence of sexual
crimes.

The month was first observed on a national scale in 2001, and it
calls for a variety of events to educate and prevent people from sexual
assault.

“There can be poetry slams, educational events in the community and
Take Back the Night marches,” said Karen Porter, quality assurance
director for the Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment
Board.

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s Web
site, www.nsvrc.org, Take Back the Night marches emerged in England in
the late 1970s. This was in response to violence which women
encountered in the streets at night.

They became more coordinated and extended to the United States in
1978.

Stephen Thompson, sexual assault services coordinator, said everyone
should be aware of the prevalence of sexual assault in the nation.

“It is important to focus on this issue as it affects each of us,”
he said.

According to the Sexual Aggression Peer Advocates’ Web site,
www.sapa.cmich.edu, the risk of being raped is four times greater for
women age 16 to 24 than any other age group.

“SAPA has helped approximately 280 individuals so far this year,”
Thompson said.

The group will host a Take Back the Night march during the week of
April 24 to go along with Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Even though the month ends in April, Porter said it is important to
remember millions of cases of sexual assault are reported throughout
the year.

“If it does happen to someone, be supportive with their choices”
Porter said. “Make sure the person knows that you care and you support
them. They are not alone and this should not happen to anybody.”

For more information on sexual assault awareness events going on
throughout the state, visit the Michigan Coalition Against Domestic and
Sexual Violence Web site at www.mcadsv.org.

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