CULLMAN, Ala. – Cullman Mayor Woody Jacobs on Monday officially proclaimed the month of April “Sexual Assault Awareness Month” (SAAM) in the city of Cullman. On hand to accept the proclamation from Jacobs were the following representatives of Victim Services of Cullman, Inc.: Carol Horstman, executive director; Charlotte Jones, court advocate; and Lauren Orth, counselor.
SAAM is a campaign that seeks to engage and educate individuals and communities on how to prevent sexual violence. Victim Services of Cullman, Inc., (VSOC) was established in 1991 with a focus on services related to domestic violence. In 1996, VSOC began providing services to victims of sexual assault. Their mission is to “break the cycle of family violence and sexual assault, preventing future acts of abuse through education, outreach, and empowering the survivors through support and advocacy.”
“I appreciate what the folks at Victim Services do to help victims of sexual assault and to educate the public,” said Jacobs. “I am proud to present this proclamation to help bring attention to this issue.”
Statistics from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) show that 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men will be raped at some point in their lives and, in the U.S., 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men will experience some form of contact sexual violence. Children are at risk as well, as statistics show that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18 years old, and that an estimated 325,000 children per year are currently at risk of becoming victims of commercial child sexual exploitation.
During this year’s SAAM, VSOC officials are asking citizens to participate in “Teal Tuesday” by wearing a teal ribbon or teal-colored clothing every Tuesday in April, and to participate in “Denim Day” by wearing jeans on April 27. The VSOC website (www.victimservicesofcullman.com) explains that Denim Day was created in honor of a young woman who was sexually assaulted by her driving instructor in Italy. Her rapist was initially convicted, but a higher court ruling overturned the conviction, with the judge saying that since the victim wore tight jeans, the instructor couldn’t take them off by himself so, therefore, the victim had participated. Wearing jeans on Denim Day (April 27) has become a symbol of protest against erroneous and destructive attitudes about sexual assault.
Other ways citizens can show their support for SAAM include using the hashtags #SAAM, #victimservicesofCullman, or #IAsk on social media on April 2 ( “Day of Action”) and by participating in the #30DaysofSAAM Instagram Contest. Details can be found at www.victimservicesofcullman.com/events.
In the proclamation, Jacobs included the following statement: “The City of Cullman strongly supports the efforts of local, state, and national organizations to actively strive to prevent sexual violence – and we believe that through increased education, awareness, and community involvement, it can be done!”
To find out more about how to participate in Sexual Assault Awareness Month, visit www.nsvrc.org/saam.
To find out more about the services provided by Victim Services of Cullman, Inc., visit www.victimservicesofcullman.com, email help@victimservicesofcullman.com, or call 256-775-2600. If you are a victim of sexual assault, you can call the local 24-hour crisis line at 256-734-6100 or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.
