The Town of Lamar has signed a proclamation to recognize April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month — a time to draw attention to the prevalence of sexual assault and educate individuals and communities about how to prevent it.

Sexual harassment, abuse, and assault are widespread problems. In the United States alone, nearly one in five women and one in 67 men have been raped at some time in their lives (Smith et al., 2017), and one in four girls and one in twenty boys is sexually abused by the age of 17 (Finkelhor et al., 2014).

Sexual harassment, assault, and abuse can happen anywhere, including in online spaces. Now more than ever, screens and technology connect us with others — but for too long, harassment, cyberbullying, and sexual abuse have been seen as unavoidable behaviors online.

Each of us has the power to change that. Together, we can make a difference to build inclusive, safe, and respectful communities that thrive online and offline.