This month is sexual assault awareness month. The symbol that represents this is a teal ribbon. This topic is very important because of the number of people it affects. This affects people mentally and physically. 

The definition of sexual assault is an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person’s consent, or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. The average number of people who are sexually assaulted (ages 12 and older) every year is 443,648. For women, one in every six is a victim. For males, one out of ten is a victim. 

People now have made it clear that you need to speak up and not be silenced. There have even been celebrities that have spoken up against it, some of them include Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Lucy Hale, Gabrielle Union, and Terry Crews. There’s even a documentary called “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV”, which tells the stories of kids who were victims of sexual assault. 

If you or anyone you know has been sexually assaulted please call 1-800-656-4673 or you can go to their website RAINN. You can go to your school counselor or someone you trust to talk to.