Rise Above Violence is celebrating our 30th anniversary, and our 30th Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). Our theme: “30 Years of Impact, Leading the Way to End Violence.”
Since our inception, Rise has been diligently at work to serve survivors of sexual harassment, abuse and assault. Our work was rooted in the long history of the anti-sexual violence movement.
One of the earliest documented instances of an anti-rape effort can be traced back to 1866, when a group of African American women testified before Congress, reporting that a mob of white men had gang raped black women during the Memphis Massacre. Sixteen-year-old Lucy Smith testified that seven white men, including police officers, broke into her home and raped her and her friend, Frances Thompson. Both young women, along with other survivors, testified before Congress. Despite extensive testimony and evidence, their perpetrators were not punished, justice not served.
The movement began to gain traction in the 1940s and ‘50s alongside the civil rights era. In 1944, Rosa Parks, best known for her famous bus boycott but not as widely known was her activism in anti-sexual violence work, founded the Committee for Equal Justice to combat sexual violence against Black women. The first rape crisis center was founded in San Francisco in 1971, and SAAM was first nationally observed in 2001, though Rise was already observing it years prior.
In recognition of this year’s SAAM, lampposts downtown and along the uptown walking path will be decorated with teal ribbons, the official color for raising awareness during April.
The Town of Pagosa Springs and Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners are expected to issue proclamations highlighting the importance of dedicating this month to support survivors and demonstrate the community’s commitment to their well-being.
Rise will also be hosting a new Denim Day event this year, still encouraging everyone to wear denim and share their best denim looks on Instagram and Facebook (don’t forget to tag Rise), but Rise will also be hosting a special screening of the film “North Country” at the Liberty Theater on Denim Day, April 29, at 6 p.m. This film depicts a true story of single mother who endures severe sexual harassment and retaliation, ultimately leading her to file one of the first class-action workplace sexual harassment lawsuits in U.S. history.
Rise is proud to be a part of the history of and an active contributor to the anti-sexual violence movement, bringing awareness of SAAM to Pagosa Springs. Please join us in celebrating survivors, their courage and their resilience. Rise will continue this work as long as it takes, leading the way to end sexual violence.
To find out more about SAAM and the awareness activities you can be a part of around town, visit www.riseaboveviolence.org.
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