It's On Us to Take a Stand Against Sexual Assault

Every 68 seconds more than 700,000 TikTok videos are viewed. Every 68 seconds, more than $285,000 is spent shopping on Amazon. And every 68 seconds, another American is sexually assaulted. 

Throughout April, Sexual Assault Awareness Month efforts raise awareness of resources available to survivors, their family members and friends. Cal State East Bay has events and resources planned throughout the month, including a U-hour presentation by nationally recognized speaker Akeem Olaj on Tuesday, April 19. 

“Sexual assault is a pervasive issue that affects many of our students during their lifetimes, and the trauma of these experiences can last for years,” said Director of Counseling Services

Shauna Olson Hong, LCSW. “Our hope is that during Sexual Assault Awareness Month, our campus is letting survivors know that they are not alone, and that there are resources on our campus to help them heal.”

In 2020, the pandemic and shift to remote connection repositioned Sexual Assault Awareness Month to focus on the digital and social media spaces. This year’s theme, “Building Safe Online Spaces Together,” continues that effort centered on respect, inclusion and safety — where harassment, assault and abuse are taken seriously. 

The greater Bay Area is at the epicenter of activism against sexual assault, violence and injustices. The first rape crisis center in the United States was founded in the Bay Area in 1971 and today the Oakland-based program Bay Area Women Against Rape supports thousands of survivors in Alameda County and beyond. The first “Take Back the Night” march was held in San Francisco in 1978 to protest violence against women, particularly sexual assault.

However, all genders and ages are affected by sexual assault. Nationwide, 81 percent of women and 43 percent of men reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment and/or assault in their lifetime, with those under 34 years old the most at risk for rape or sexual assalt. 

“We also want to educate ourselves as a community about sexual assualt prevention and consent, so that we can look out for one another and prevent future violence,” said Hong. 

“There are three important strategies that we talk about often: prevention, so that students can be proactively aware of their safety and practice active consent; bystander intervention, so that our community knows that ‘it's on us’ to prevent assaults, looks out for one another, and steps in actively to prevent harm; and supportive resources, such as counseling and our Confidential Advocate, to support survivors and help them to heal.”

Cal State East Bay Sexual Assault Awareness Month events: 

Take the pledge to end sexual assalt

Stop by one of the staffed informational tables on the Hayward campus to learn about campus and community resources, take a photo with your personal pledge and have a chance to win some great prizes. 

April 14: 10:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m., Outside of Pioneer Kitchen
April 19: 12:15-1:15 p.m., UU311, Entrance to Akeem Olaj event 
April 21: 10:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m., A&E Walkway
April 26: 7:45-10:15 a.m., SA Lobby 
April 27: 10:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m., Outside of North Sciences

Akeem Olaj–Spoken Word Artist and Survivor 

Tuesday, April 19 
12:15 p.m.
UU 311

​​Childhood Sexual Trauma can break a person but it doesn't make them. National Touring Spoken Word Artist, child and domestic violence survivor advocate Akeem Olaj talks about his healing journey navigating these horrors as a child, internal strength recovery and how he deconstructed his toxic masculinity along the way.

Register on BaySync in advance 

Wear Denim for Denim Day

Wednesday, April 27 (all day)

Join millions of people across the world and wear jeans with a purpose:  take a stand against all forms of sexual violence. Find out more: https://mybaysync.csueastbay.edu/event/8025027 

Movies for Mental Health

Thursday, April 28, 2022, 12:15pm-2:15pm, online event

ASI presents a virtual workshop for connecting with ourselves and others through short films about mental health. Event details: https://mybaysync.csueastbay.edu/event/8044777

Registration required in advance at:  bit.ly/csueb-m4mho

Resources for sexual assault and abuse:

Students can access counseling services by calling Student Health and Counseling at (510) 885-3735, or by logging onto their online health portal to schedule an appointment.  Students, staff and faculty can reach a Confidential Advocate by emailing Advocate@csueastbay.edu. 

Online resources for survivors include:

• Your local sexual assault resource center: These centers can help survivors of abuse, no matter when the abuse occurred and no matter if a report was made to police. You can find your local center using this directory or search for your state anti-sexual violence coalition for more resources in your area. Local sexual assault advocates will let you know what services are available to support survivors — whether virtually or in person — in your community.
• National Sexual Assault Hotline: Volunteers offer support 24/7 to survivors and their loved ones. Whether you’re looking for help, advice, or a referral, you can call 800-656-HOPE to be connected to your local sexual assault resource center or chat online with a trained support specialist.
• Message boards, forums, and groups: Survivors are connecting online through communities, forums, and message boards. For example, on subreddits like Support For Sexual Assault Survivors, many survivors are sharing their stories with others. While they’re a less formal form of support, these online spaces provide a platform where survivors can share experiences and help one another. 

For more information, check out these online resources for survivors.