This year marks the 25th anniversary of when Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) was officially declared an awareness month nationally. Looking at the history of the movement to end sexual violence, it’s clear why this is necessary- because it’s impossible to prevent an issue no one knows about, and it’s difficult to make people aware of a problem without providing a form of solution. The roots of SAAM run deep, from the civil rights movement to the founding of the first rape crisis center in the United States.
One of the first modern movements for social change and equality started to become popular in the 40’s and 50’s with the civil rights era. Activist started to have open discussions about the realities of abuse, and efforts during this time were led by Black women and women of color. Advocates like Rosa Parks and Kimberle Crenshaw worked on the intersections of race and gender-based violence, a framework that would be called intersectionality later on. The first rape crisis center was opened in 1971 in San Francisco, California. The same city where the first Take Back the Night would be held just seven years later. The following decades brought more crisis center openings and calls for legislation and funding that would support survivors, including the Violence Against Women Act that passed in 1993. Sexual Assault Awareness Month was first observed in 2001, but advocates were already holding marches, protests, events, and vigils related to sexual violence. In 2000, the National Sexual Violence Resource Center brought together organizations across the country, and formed SAAM as we know it today.
Safe Passage was founded in 1981 as a grassroots organization run by volunteers who wanted to create a safe place in the community for victims of domestic violence. Over the years, Safe Passage has continued to grow and expand, adding services and programs to meet the needs of all survivors who come through our doors. In 2003 Safe Passage combined its domestic violence services with programming as a rape crisis center, expanding programming to meet the needs of survivors of sexual assault and abuse. Safe Passage celebrates SAAM every year, with our Take Back the Night and Walk a Mile events, supporting, fundraising, and advocating for survivors of abuse in DeKalb County.
Written by: Kirsti McNeece
