April 1, 2022

Dear Campus Community,

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, an opportunity for us to build expanded public awareness of the many ways we can support survivors and work to prevent sexual assault.

But the work of building awareness should not be limited to April. And the responsibility for that work should not be limited to the many talented advocates and professionals to whom we turn for education and support. The responsibility for awareness and prevention belongs to all of us.

Please join me, the Student Advocacy Resource Center, victims, survivors, advocates and professionals in fostering awareness. Become educated on your role in preventing and responding to sexual violence. Be present for and listen to survivors, and ensure they can safely seek resources.

You are invited to join on April 6th from 7:30 to 9:00 pm in front of Main Hall to kickoff a host of events for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. We will light Main Hall teal, center student voices and commit to taking action together to honor our theme, Building Safer Spaces: Reclaiming our Right to Safety. 

The S.E.A. Change Initiative at the University of Montana acknowledges our collective role in fostering a safe and empowering campus that accelerates lives of impact for all. The prevention of sexual violence is core to this work. 

The work of prevention and building safe spaces is ongoing and requires an abiding commitment from each of us.

Seth