April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which serves as a time for us to reflect on this critical public health issue.
Although we pay special attention to the topic this month, we know that sexual assaults are a problem that deserves our attention 365 days a year. In the U.S., 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men have experienced some form of contact sexual violence in their lifetimes. Sexual violence affects well-being, and can also lead to physical and mental health complications. Victims of sexual assault are more likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and physical injuries.
Individuals, families and even communities feel the ramifications of sexual assault. There isn’t a single cause and there certainly isn’t one solution. However, by using a public health approach, we can focus on the root causes of sexual assault and work to prevent this form of violence before it occurs.
Shared risk and protective factors for sexual violence are important for communities and practitioners to understand because they may cause a person to be more or less likely to perpetrate or be a victim of violence. By employing a comprehensive approach to prevention and addressing shared risk and protective factors, practitioners may have a greater impact.
There are programs and policies — such as those highlighted in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Stop SV: A Technical Package to Prevent Sexual Violence” — at the individual, relational, community and societal levels that address these factors and will help reduce sexual assault and other forms of violence.
To be violence-free, it’s imperative to create a safe environment in which people are able to openly discuss sexual violence and ways to prevent it. And while prevention is important, we must foster a culture and social norms where survivors feel safe and supported enough to seek services and report this crime. Victim services and offender accountability have to be part of this conversation as well.
Image courtesy National Sexual Violence Resource Center
Unfortunately, there are myths that can stand in the way of people seeking help after a sexual assault. For example, some people believe that men don’t experience sexual assault. But the fact is that 1 in 6 men report that they experience contact sexual violence in their lifetimes. Sharing facts and accurate information can help victims and survivors.
As we work to address sexual assaults, we have to look beyond the numbers and remember that lives are being impacted. So, what can we do? CDC’s technical package outlines programs and policy efforts based on the best available evidence. The technical package, which is available online, is useful for workers in a variety of sectors and can facilitate collaboration.
We can also work with our rape crisis centers and state sexual assault coalitions to create policies that end barriers to reporting and advocate for victims and survivors. And, certainly, if you see something, say something. If you witness someone at risk of being assaulted, be an active bystander. Let’s change the culture together.
— Dawnovise Fowler, PhD, team lead at the Division of Violence Prevention at CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention; and Denise Allen, MPH, CHES, fellow, Division of Violence Prevention
- Copyright The Nation’s Health, American Public Health Association
