April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). Now is the time to finalize social media campaigns, awareness event plans, and community efforts for SAAM.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of SAAM. The theme for this year’s SAAM is 25 Years Stronger: Looking Back, Moving Forward. This theme honors the history of the movement and encourages advocates and supporters to consider the future of the movement to end sexual assault. 

 

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Start By Believing Campaign

 

The Start by Believing project, created by End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI), is a campaign to create awareness and inspire action to end sexual violence. The campaign invites individuals and organizations to take the pledge to start by believing someone when they say they’ve been assaulted, support survivors in their healing, and help stop the silence around sexual violence. The campaign hosts an annual Start by Believing day on the first Wednesday of SAAM. This year, Start by Believing Day will be April 1.

There are multiple ways you can participate in the Start by Believing Campaign:

• Download the social media toolkit

• Download the social media graphics to share on your social media pages

• Share the Start by Believing Pledge Placard

• Print out the Start by Believing Posters

 

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The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC)

 

NSVRC releases a toolkit with social media ideas, weekly themes, event planning, and more. The NSVRC SAAM planning tools can be found on their SAAM webpage. In addition to hosting multiple events, NSVRC creates weekly themes to help organize supporters throughout SAAM. The weekly themes for the month are:

• Week one (March 29 – April 4): Roots of the Movement

• Week two (April 5 – 11): Survivors at the Center

• Week three (April 11 – 18): From Awareness to Action: Prevention is a Shared Responsibility

• Week four (April 19 – 25): Envisioning the Future

• Week five (April 26 – May 2): Our legacy, our commitment

 

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National Crime Victims Rights Week

 

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is April 19-25, and is an annual reminder of the barriers victims of crime, including sexual assault victims. National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is hosted by the Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). Access OVC’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week materials. 

 

The National Organization for Victim Advocates (NOVA) also hosts an annual Crime Victims’ Rights Week event. NOVA’s theme for the 2026 Crime Victims’ Rights Week is CommUNITY. Access NOVA’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week materials. 

Join MOCADSV in celebrating SAAM by sharing our SAAM webpage. This landing page provides users with easy access to all of the necessary information and resources to spread awareness within their communities.

 

 

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Light Missouri Teal for Denim Day

Join Missouri victim service providers in lighting the state teal on Denim Day, April 29. Connect with your local city governments, police and fire departments, community partners, schools, and businesses to encourage them to change their outdoor lighting to teal.

MOCADSV created a template letter you can customize and share with your community partners to encourage them to change their lighting. Do you have community partners participating in Lighting the State Teal this Denim Day? Post your photos to social media with the tag #LightMOTeal and tag us!

Access the template to get your communities involved in SAAM.

 

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MOCADSV’s Social Media Campaign

There are many ways to get involved and spread awareness within your communities. One of the strongest tools you have at your disposal is social media. Social media is a free and effective way to spread awareness, educate on the prevalence of domestic violence, and share with others that you are a voice against violence. MOCADSV created a social media graphic that can be shared on your social media pages. Tag us (@mocadsv) on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and use the tag #MOSAAM. 

Facebook	Instagram	LinkedIn
Alt text: [Blue background with a black arrow pointing to the top left corner. Black text next to the arrow, “This person.” Below are two orange rectangles with black text, “believes survivors.” An arrow pointing to the bottom left corner and black text, “And these people do too!” An MOCADSV logo below the orange rectangles.]	Alt text: [Blue background with a black arrow pointing to the top left corner. Black text next to the arrow, “This person.” Below are two orange rectangles with black text, “believes survivors.” An arrow pointing to the bottom left corner and black text, “And these people do too!” An MOCADSV logo below the orange rectangles.]	Alt text: [Blue background with a black arrow pointing to the top left corner. Black text next to the arrow, “This person.” Below are two orange rectangles with black text, “believes survivors.” An arrow pointing to the bottom left corner and black text, “And these people do too!” An MOCADSV logo below the orange rectangles.]
Caption idea:  April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), and I want all of my followers to know that I believe survivors.  If you need resources, visit www.mocadsv.org/ and select your location on the service map to find a directory of local support services. If you’re in immediate danger, call 911.   #SAAM #MOSAAM2026 #Missouri	Caption Idea:  This month is Sexual Assault Awareness Month! Each year, millions of Americans experience some form of sexual assault. I am using this month to spread awareness about sexual assault and to tell my followers that I believe survivors.  If you need resources, visit @mocadsv’s bio to find their website. There, select your location on the service provider map for a directory of local resources. If you are in immediate danger, call 911   #SAAM #MOSAAM2026 #Missouri #EndSV	Caption Idea:  April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). According to national data, nearly 44% of women, and nearly 25% of men have experienced some form of contact sexual violence in their lifetimes. This is unacceptable.    This SAAM, I want to spread awareness of the prevalence of sexual violence in our communities and where to find resources. You can find resources by visiting mocadsv.org/ and selecting your location on the service map. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.    #SAAM #MOSAAM2026 #EndSV

 

You can directly support the Coalition by signing up for our monthly newsletters, The Latest and the Legislative Updates. The Latest newsletter features a variety of articles written by MOCADSV staff and allied professionals on topics relevant to domestic and sexual violence, nonprofit organizations, and more. The Legislative Update newsletter is a monthly overview of MOCADSV’s public policy advocacy during the state legislative session. Sign up today by clicking here. 

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