April is
Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) & Child Abuse Prevention Month (CAPM)
Wear Jeans on April 26th for Denim Day
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Denim Day is in honor of a young Italian woman who was raped by her driving instructor. He was convicted, but he appealed and the judges overturned the conviction. The judges decided that "...because the victim wore very, very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them, and by removing the jeans it was no longer rape, but consensual sex."
Denim Day was created as a message in protest of victim-blaming. We need to start by believing survivors and not blame them for the sexual assault that someone else committed against them. Join us in wearing jeans and consider making a donation to Hope House via Facebook or Paypal. Take a photo of yourself wearing jeans and post it on Facebook or Instagram with the reason why you're wearing jeans. Please tag us @hopehousescw. Thank you for your support! Does your business/organization want buttons or flyers for Denim Day? Click here to email us and request them today! |
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Other Date-Specific Events
- March 31: Join Hope House and others around the state in wearing blue for #WearBlueDay2023. Family Strengthening Month (also known as Child Abuse Prevention Month) starts the next day. So get decked out in blue clothes and accessories to spread the message that every child deserves to grow up in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment. Share photos on social media and tag @hopehousescw.
- April 4: Wear Teal for the SAAM Day of Action. Please wear teal, the color of sexual assault awareness, to signal that you support survivors, and are a safe person to talk to if they need to reach out. Share photos on social media and tag @hopehousescw.
- April 6 & 20: Balanced Rock Winery's Benefactor Bingo for Hope House! Click here for more information.
- April 15: Come join us on Saturday, April 15th from 10am-1pm at the Montello High School gym for Marquette County's Family Adventure Day. Enjoy some free, interactive family fun! There will be face painting, magic shows, healthy snacks, farm animals, over 40 local vendor booths, and more! Be sure to stop by Hope House’s booth to do a fun activity with our Community Engagement & Volunteer Coordinator, Deb!
- April 29: Adams County Kids Day will be held Saturday, April 29 from 10am-2pm at Adams-Friendship High School. The event is free and features hands-on activities and live entertainment geared towards toddlers through 5th grade students and their families. Be sure to stop by Hope House’s booth to do a fun activity with our Youth Advocate/Educator, Nic!
- April 30: Feral Fitness Collective Workout. An outdoor community workout to help raise money for Hope House! Starting at 10 am on April 30th, in Westmoreland Park in Madison.
Month-Long Activities
- 3rd Street Nutrition SAAM Fundraiser for Hope House: 3rd Street Nutrition in Baraboo is donating $1 to Hope House for each sale of their teal Bahama Blast tea in April. Click here to learn more, including about their April 29th event.
- Financial Institutions' Pinwheel Fundraiser for Hope House: Several branches of WCCU Credit Union, Bank of Mauston, and Prevail Bank are accepting donations to Hope House. In exchange, donors can proudly show their support on a pinwheel for Child Abuse Prevention Month.
- #30DaysofSAAM on Instagram: Join Hope House in participating in the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s #30daysofSAAM. Each day in April, they’ll provide an open-ended prompt that participants respond to with a photo, collage, illustration, digital art, video, or other original content. You have a chance to win prizes every day you participate. Watch what Hope House posts on our Instagram page @hopehousescw.
- SAAM Resource Tables: Will you be visiting any of the locations below in April? Look for Hope House's Sexual Assault Awareness Month resource tables with lots of great information and materials you can take home!
- UW-Platteville Baraboo/Sauk County Campus, Gunderson Moundview Hospital and Clinics in Friendship, Adams County Health & Human Services, the Marquette County Courthouse, and the public libraries in Reedsburg, Mauston, New Lisbon, Wisconsin Dells, Portage, and Montello
- Teal and blue sashes around trees will be in multiple locations throughout our 5-county service area. These sashes have signs attached to them that bring awareness of sexual assault and child abuse and of Hope House services.
TV Graphics
Do you have TVs at your workplace, school, or church? Check out our variety of Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month images in English and Spanish for you to download and use during the month of April!
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Bitmoji Classrooms
Sexual Assault Awareness Month bitmoji classroom for teens
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Child Abuse Prevention Month bitmoji classroom for adults
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Hope House's education team has updated our bitmoji classrooms for students, parents/guardians, school staff, and youth service providers to explore! Inspired by librarians and educators, we made two classrooms for April. If you're not familiar with bitmoji classrooms, each image you click on takes you to a different link - even the water bottle and colored pencils! We encourage you to share these classrooms on your websites or social media platforms!
- Sexual Assault Awareness Month bitmoji classroom with resources for teens, including supportive resources, self-care ideas, and YA books!
- Child Abuse Prevention Month bitmoji classroom with resources for parents/guardians and those that work with K-5 students, including supportive resources, self-care ideas, children’s picture books, and books for adults!
Resources
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The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC)
The NSVRC is the go-to resource for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Check out their site for graphics, blog posts, Memes with a Message information, the #30DaysofSAAM Instagram contest, coloring pages, and more. |
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Start By Believing
Is a public awareness campaign designed by End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI) to change the way we respond to rape and sexual assault in our communities. Check out their website to make your personal commitment and to view their many campaign resources, such as printed materials, articles, talking points, proclamations, brochures, and promotional materials. |
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Flip the Switch
Champion Gymnast, Aly Raisman announced a partnership with Darkness to Light through the Flip the Switch campaign. This campaign calls on all adults involved in youth sports to complete Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children® training, with the online training offered at no cost. Learn more here. |
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Stop It Now!Stop It Now! prevents the sexual abuse of children by mobilizing adults, families and communities to take actions that protect children before they are harmed. Educate yourself and your community by downloading their materials and read about ways to get involved with prevention efforts!
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The Child Welfare Information Gateway The Child Welfare Information Gateway's National Child Abuse Prevention Month website has their outreach toolkit, sample messages, graphics, and more! |
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Prevent Child Abuse Wisconsin Prevent Child Abuse Wisconsin builds community resources, provides training and public awareness, and carries out advocacy activities in order to strengthen child abuse prevention efforts in Wisconsin. Be sure to check out their 2023 Family Strengthening Month toolkit with online resources, training opportunities, social media tips, and more! |