OP / ED
April is both Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Awareness month. The following article is the first article of a five-week series focusing on raising awareness about sexual assault and child abuse. Locally, HCWC served 667 community members that experienced sexual assault or abuse and 937 children that suffered abuse and their protective caregivers.
April is both Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month, highlighting the urgent need to address and prevent violence in our communities. Sexual assault and child abuse thrive in silence and impact individuals of all ages, genders and backgrounds in our communities every day. Prevention starts with recognizing that this is happening in our community and by educating ourselves and others about consent, healthy relationships and the importance of believing and supporting survivors.
At the heart of HCWC’s mission is preventing violence before it happens, which requires collective action from all of us. This means supporting prevention programs, advocating for policies that protect survivors and fostering safe environments where abuse is neither ignored nor excused. Everyone has a role to play in ending violence, from parents, to educators, to local leaders and community members.
By raising awareness and prioritizing prevention, we can plant the seeds of change, ensuring safer futures for all. This April, let’s commit to speaking up, standing with survivors and creating communities that do not tolerate violence. Together, we can build a community where every person feels safe and is free from experiencing abuse.
Throughout the month of April, in addition to this article series, we will be sharing content across all our social media platforms as well as participating in community events. Be sure to follow us on social media for updates on upcoming events. You can find us using the @ HCWCenter handle on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
