04/23/2026
Sexual Assault Awareness Month didn't start as a single campaign.
It grew from decades of grassroots advocacy, survivor-led movements, and communities pushing for change long before it had a name.
From early efforts to support survivors in the 1970s, to the first coordinated awareness campaigns in the 1990s, to the official recognition of SAAM in 2001, this movement has always been built on people speaking up, showing up, and refusing to stay silent.
25 years of SAAM represents more than awareness.
It represents progress, persistence, and collective action.
And it reminds us that change has never come in a single moment.
It comes from many.
From conversations.
From education.
From advocacy.
From care.
Looking back means honoring the people who laid the groundwork.
Moving forward means continuing that work in our communities, our systems, and our everyday actions.