04/16/2026
This Sexual Assault Awareness Month, there seem to be more reasons to take action and raise awareness each day. Content warning for s*xual violence mentioned below, as well as the sources linked in the comments. Even beyond the release of the Epstein Files and survivors still waiting for justice, the patterns of s*xual abuse permeate our culture, affecting at least a third of women.
In CNN's As Equals series on gender inequality, it was recently discovered that there is a global "online r**e academy," where rapists visit a network of chat rooms and websites to share advice about how to drug and r**e their partners. 62 million men shared this information in one month alone.
This is shocking information for many people, but survivors know firsthand that the most beloved person in their lives, who may have even promised to love, honor, and cherish them, can become their abuser. And it's important to share because as much as we'd like to believe that safety tips can help us avoid the "stranger danger from the bushes" we all grew up hearing about, the reality is that it's more common to be s*xually assaulted, and even trafficked, by someone you love.
And with about 1 in 3 women experiencing s*xual violence from a partner in their lives, it stands to reason that it's not just a couple of bad apples in the bunch, either. When surveyed, 95% of U.S. and Canadian men admitted to using at least one tactic to pressure a woman into s*x she didn't want, with 70% of them believing that the outcome wasn't negative at all. Almost a third of Gen Z men believe that a wife should obey her husband, double the rate of men of the Boomer Generation, and rates of s*xual assault have not changed much in the past 20 years.
So what do we do with this information? For starters, we believe survivors. We trust our instincts and we don't ignore red flags to be "nice," as so many young women are taught to do. We demand better behavior from people we know as well as our leaders, and we take it seriously when abuse happens. We support survivors and follow their lead, from the actions they wish to take or not take to how they wish to heal. Agency is everything, and when it's violated, it must be honored more strongly than ever before.
This is the reality we live in, but it doesn't have to be. We can stand by one another, refusing to accept the violence and meeting the needs of survivors in our community. Making friends with neighbors, being a nonjudgmental friend or partner or ally, having an open door policy for coworkers... These are all simple ways we can create safety between us.
Whether you're a survivor looking for support or resources, or the family member, partner, or friend of a survivor looking for ways to offer them support, our Crisis Line is here for you to call or text 24/7. It's free, and so is therapy for survivors at Safe Connections. 314.531.2003
If you are in education, youth groups, or other learning programs and want to teach your students about healthy relationships, we also have free classes. Visit us at https://safeconnections.org/ to learn more.
Image: Safe Connections 50th Anniversary logo featuring Safe Connections in purple next to a purple 50 with a multicolor lotus inside.
