Webinar series in April marks Sexual Assault Awareness Month

A message from University of Hawaiʻi President David Lassner in an email dated March 22:

Aloha mai kākou,

I am proud to announce our participation in Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) in April.  This is a time for us to provide education about sexual assault, to promote respect and inclusion and build safer spaces for the communities of our 10 campuses.

To recognize SAAM, a webinar series on various topics related to combating gender-based violence and sexual assault will be held throughout the month starting on April 3. The series is hosted by our Office of Equity Assurance, in collaboration with the Title IX Offices from the 10 campuses, and the Office of the Vice President for Community Colleges System Office of Compliance, EEO/AA, and Title IX. I strongly encourage everyone to register for the webinar series. Please visit the following website for more details regarding the upcoming sessions and registration.

April 2023 will mark the 22nd anniversary of SAAM. SAAM acknowledges a need for both awareness and prevention of sexual assault, harassment, and abuse. Beginning in the early 1970s, when survivors of sexual violence came together to speak out against the atrocities they suffered, the movement grew through the early 1980s and 1990s, when advocates began coordinating activities and events during April each year, advancing the idea of a nationally recognized month for sexual violence awareness. SAAM was first observed nationally in April 2001 and in 2009, President Barack Obama officially proclaimed April as National Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

While we have made progress with respect to gender-based violence, there is still much more work to be done to ensure equity, eliminate violence, and advance the full participation of all individuals in many aspects of living, learning, and working. Please join us in raising public awareness on our campuses that sexual violence is a public health, human rights, and social justice issue, and engage in our prevention efforts to make our community safer and more inclusive for all.

David Lassner
President