End sexual violence in culture of respect

With the month of April at an end, we'd like to thank the many communities who participated in the 2018 Sexual Assault Awareness campaign, raising public awareness and educating communities.

The term sexual assault refers to sexual contact or behavior that occurs without explicit consent of the survivor. It can take many different forms, but one thing remains the same: Sexual assault destroys people's lives.

Northwest Center Against Sexual Assault (CASA) is committed to ending sexual violence, promoting individual responsibility, and empowering survivors. Northwest CASA accomplishes this mission by:

• Providing crisis intervention and counseling services to survivors and significant others;

• Advocating for survivors in the medical and criminal justice systems;

• Promoting social change through education and prevention programs; and

• Reaching out to survivors in underserved groups in our community.

We know that one month isn't enough to solve the serious and widespread issue of sexual assault. However, the attention April generates is an opportunity to energize and expand prevention efforts throughout the year.

Moving forward, whenever we reflect on and change how we think, we can create a culture of respect, equality, and safety. Remember - our words shape the world around us. A survivor never causes sexual assault or "asks for it." Stories and comments that blame the survivor contribute to a broader climate in which sexual violence is tolerated and not taken seriously.

Working together, we can create safe and equitable communities where every person is treated with respect.

Catherine French, on behalf of NW CASA Board of Directors