Governor Mike Pence has designated April 2014 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) and Child Abuse Prevention Month in Indiana. Albion Fellows Bacon Center joins rape crisis centers and child advocacy centers across the state in commemorating Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Awareness Month to promote awareness and encourage support of these issues. This year’s theme, “Healthy Sexuality and Young People: It’s time to Talk About It!,†is motivating Albion Fellows Bacon Center to participate in the following events: April 1: Day of Action, April 6th-12th: National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 7 & 8: Let’s “ACT OUT†for a Change, April 8: Walk a Mile in Her Shoes and April 24, 2014: Take Back the Night. Individual Press Releases will be distributed for each event.
According to a CDC report released in 2010 Indiana ranks second in the nation for high school females in grades 9-12 indicating that they have been victims of sexual assault. Â In Indiana one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually assaulted before age eighteen. Â If this type of violence was classified as a disease it would be at epidemic levels.
Sexual violence is a form of oppression, and it is linked to all other forms of oppression. In order to create a world without sexual violence, it is imperative that each of us takes a stand against all forms of oppression – whether based on gender, age, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity, ability or economic class. “It’s time for all of us to stand up and speak out against sexual violence. This is a societal problem that is impacting everyone,†commented Anita Carpenter, CEO of INCASA In order to foster healthy communities, all citizens must support the effort to end sexual violence and child abuse every month of the year.
A woman is raped every 90 seconds in America. Albion Fellows Bacon Center provided sexual assault services to 513 primary and secondary victims in 2013. Albion is a non-profit agency serving victims of domestic and sexual violence.  We provide emergency shelter, a 24-hour crisis line, individual crisis counseling, support groups, and legal and medical advocacy to victims, their friends and family. All of the services are free of charge. For more information about a Sexual Assault Awareness Month event or how to get involved, please contact Christina Wicks at Albion Fellows Bacon Center, 812-422-9372 or by email at christina.wicks@albionfellowsbacon.org. To find out more information on Albion Fellows Bacon Center please visit our website: www.albionfellowsbacon.org
The National Sexual Assault Hotline number is 1-800-656-HOPE. For local service provider please call 812-424-7273 or (800)-339-7752.
