Sexual assault is constantly in the news the stories are endless. Last week, an 18-year-old was jailed for impregnating a teenage girl. On the same day, a college student was sentenced to jail for having sexual intercourse with an underage classmate. These crimes may not have made headlines internationally but they were all done by the people that the victims had personally known.
Recently, colleges have started out prevention programs to curb the rising number of sexual assault cases. These programs have been funded and implemented through fundraising events and are even inserted into orientation programs during freshman year. Their aim is to encourage students to act when they notice a potential assault situation unfolding and is one way, that colleges are wrestling to improve personal safety.
In April 2016, the Student Advocacy Resource Center at the University of Montana held events to raise awareness on sexual assault. This year alone, the SARC has conducted 50 trainings on bystander intervention. A second event held by the SARC was also in April where students read poems in support of sexual assault survivors. It is necessary colleges expand these types of events during the entire year not just in April. It is necessary we understand that sexual assault occurs during the entire year not just in spring.