Can we prevent sexual assault? How?

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Good services for victims/survivors of sexual violence is our job. We also work to prevent sexual violence.

Prevention has been about victims and how they should change how they act so they aren't raped or assaulted. We are looking at this in a different way. We teach people that preventing violence is on everyone.

We ask everyone to be part of preventing violence in our community.

We think about preventing violence like keeping people healthy. Here’s how it works. People get sick. We try to figure out why. We try to find out what people can do to stay healthy. Germs are the ‘why.’ So, do we ask only the people with colds to wash their hands? No. We ask everyone to do their part like washing your hands and staying home when you’re sick.

We ask everyone to be part of preventing violence. We ask what we all can change to make a difference. ​We ask everyone to stand up to bullying, harassment, violence, and ways other people make others feel bad.

We teach young people about consent. We talk about how to speak up when someone says, “men should act a certain way” or “women should act a certain way.” We help schools, businesses, and communities promote respect and equality.

Everyday actions to prevent sexual assault

Here is a list of everyday actions you can take to prevent sexual assault. 
Teach others that any kind of violence is not the answer.
Respect a person's right to say no.
Tell kids in your life that it's okay not to hug or kiss that friend or relative if they don't want to (they can still say hello or goodbye!).
Learn about and help other people learn about healthy boundaries (both talking about their own and learning about others').
Model good boundaries.
Learn about healthy sexuality and how it can help prevent violence.
Learn about ways you can help prevent child sexual abuse.
Speak up when you see that someone is being hurt.
Talk with others openly and honestly about consent and communication - both sexual and not sexual.
Respond to sexist jokes when you hear them by saying something like "that's not cool." 
Challenge ideas that "men are a certain way" or "women are a certain way." 
Challenge the idea that there are only two genders.
Support organizations that work for equality. Follow them on social media, go to their events, and participate.
Listen to others and believe them when they say that something is uncomfortable for them. 
Talk about inequality and learn about how you can build friendships and communities that are more equal.
Talk with the kids in your life about how bodies and bodily functions are natural and normal. Reinforce that it's always something
    you can talk about and that no question about how it all functions is out of bounds.
Read books, articles and blogs written by people in marginalized groups to which you don't belong (like different races, sexualities,
    or religions). If their writing is about their own experiences, believe what they say.
Know that consent is only consent when it is freely and happily given. Talk about it.
Talk with people about the ways that we expect people to act masculine or feminine and how we can learn to love and accept
    other ways people express themselves.
For more information about how to support survivors, click here.