Trigger Warning: This article discusses sexual assault and related topics, which may be distressing for some readers. Please take care of your mental health. Skip this article if needed. If you or someone you know is struggling, resources are listed at the end.
bringing out the teal ribbons
Every April since the mid-1970s, the United States recognizes Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) as a time dedicated to raising awareness about sexual violence, honoring survivors, and amplifying the ongoing fight for consent, safety, and justice. But for the survivors, allies, advocates, and communities impacted by sexual violence. This is a very important conversation that does not stop when the calendar turns towards May.
Sexual Assault is one of the most underreported issues on United States college campuses. According to RAINN or Rape, Abuse, And Incest National Network report that one in five women and one in sixteen men are sexually assaulted during their college years. Other stats claim that more than two out of three go unreported due to the circumstances of being silenced by fear, mistrust, and or trauma.
These stats by RAINN are not just numbers; instead, they are real people having to navigate the aftermath of something that no one should ever have to endure.
One Night, one protest, one week, one month
SAAM is not all about the awareness aspect; it is a full-on movement. Originally, this movement began in the late 1970s and rose even more during the Vietnam War Era in the United States, since survivors were subject to unlawful and social suffering even more than they were behind closed doors. Beginning with “Take Back The Night” marches on the West Coast in 1975, the week-long movement turned into the entire month of April because the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault began to encourage a massive organized awareness. Officially, SAAM was born in the early 1990s when Pennsylvania celebrated for the 1st time that it would work better if the entire month of April was to fulfill the goal of ending survivor guilt and globally educating. Since the first fully celebrated month of April, circa 2001, the theme of sexual assault has since expanded towards other equally important topics of healthy sex practices, sexual harassment, and preventing sexual violence in schools and the community.
Twenty-four years since the first SAAM, the theme has been built around “Building Connected Communities” to help the power of a community to prevent any actions of sexual violence. It is a constant reminder that by creating a safe space around respect, accountability, inclusion, and most importantly, empathy, we can stop violence before it even sparks.
the power of believing
The very heart of SAAM is really simple to comprehend; the powerful message at hand is to believe the survivors. In too many cases, survivors face large amounts of disbelief, blame, and systemic injustice. The power of believing comes with no judgment and fosters the validation of their pain, their choices, and the overall advocation for change in the United States. Believing is just the first step to supporting the survivors. To fully support survivors, crisis centers need to be funded properly, making school campuses safer in the day and at night, pushing for more complex Title IX protection for women, and ensuring that there is equal access to mental health resources.
UC Campuses Advocation Of Sexual Assualt
At any University Of California in 2025, SAAM is crucial for the young mind, especially those who are gaining a sense of independence for the first time. This is especially true for students navigating the beginning of their adulthood in a post-pandemic society shaped by digital interactions, the evolution of unique campus cultures, and constant calls for accountability and safety in the college atmosphere. SAAM offers college students in California and domestically a platform to address issues of sexual assault and or any sexual violence that happen to be emebedded within college culture; particularly in soical settings and party cultures can enable harm to an individual.
The University of California systems are known for their progressive values and hardcore student activism, in terms of SAAM becoming not only a time to educate and advocate but a moment to help foster healing methods that empower survivors. The UC system also fights for the building of a community that is deeply rooted in long-lasting change.
To combat sexual assault and violence, the code of conduct at any UC states that there is in place a UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy (SVSH Policy) that states in the Policy Summary that “[…] the University’s responsibilities and procedures related to sexual violence, sexual harassment, retaliation, and other prohibited behavior as those terms are defined in this Policy (together, “Prohibited Conduct”) in order to ensure an equitable and inclusive education and employment environment. The Policy defines Prohibited Conduct and explains the administrative procedures the University uses to resolve reports of Prohibited Conduct”. The policy also depicts important definitions, such as consent, sexual assault, sexual violence, relationship violence, stalking, and different cases of sexual harassment. The policy ends with different supportive and remedial measures to ensure that the survivor gets the help they need and to make sure that the law is followed for both sides of the story.
This can mean two different things: One being that the University is not necessarily completely responsible for the actions of its students, and Two being that the University will follow its policy when this policy is enforced within a filed case or prohibited conduct on a particular campus.
The Isla Vista Stance
In terms of zooming into UCSB, the community tries to give the neighborhood resources especially since the school is considered a top party school in the United States. There is a high presence of different Isla Vista resources for survivors and allies to attain, so this positivity impacts the surrounding areas but also falls through in many ways.
I had the opportunity to connect with Karla Huizar, who is a community engagement manager for Standing Together To End Sexual Assault. Huizar shared some great insight into the importance of having resources in a highly populated yet small college town.
Her insight on the unique Isla Vista culture was highlighted by her statement: ” […] our community has a “Party Culture/ Hook up Culture” reputation. Our community is so much more than the reputation that has been normalized for us and by us. It is important to recognize that there are beliefs and behaviors that are deeply rooted in society and that we work to Raise the Bar on the awareness and education of the realities of sexual assault in our community. Everyone deserves to have a fun and safe college experience, regardless of where they attend. The fact is that college attending women are more vulnerable to sexual assault and this is a statistic that we have the power to impact and decrease. As a community, it is our responsibility to come together and talk openly about sexual violence, increase knowledge and awareness, and identify strategies and resources to prevent sexual violence.”
Whether you are a new or older student, local Santa Barbara organizations such as TESA, UCSB CARE, AS-Take Back the Night, and many more put on local events to help educate and bring forth new data to bring more awareness to situations happening in the area. Huizar also commented on this particular matter of community outreach: “By joining and collaborating with organizations and student led groups that are already doing the work, each individual is joining the efforts in ending sexual violence in our community. When we understand the roots of sexual violence, we can work towards the change, but it takes the effort of the collective. We need to raise awareness about the harms of sexism, victim blaming, and party culture. When these issues are addressed, This then will translate to a production of a safe community where survivors feel supported in their healing. It sounds like a lot of work, and it is. We really can make the change together and foster a supportive and healthy community for survivors to be able to share their stories, find justice, and heal in ways that they otherwise feel limited by”.
Survivors and or concerned students needing to seek support can turn to local organizations like STESA and or UCSB CARE (or any other organization) for help in any matter. As Huizar goes in depth about STESA, “Anyone affected by sexual assault can connect to STESA through our 24-hr hotline (805) 564-3696 where an advocate will be available to listen, validate, provide information about medical and legal systems and/or connect to other resources. UCSB CARE is a great on campus resource for students and staff. We share a similar mission in providing support for survivors and bringing education around sexual assault. We both have public social media platforms where anyone can find information and educational material. Connecting to us through our hotlines is the easiest form to establish services or find resources.”
More On Resources
For a more local perspective, check out these resources below:
University Of California Santa Barbara Resources:
- UCSB CARE
- (Campus Advocacy, Resources & Education)
- Provides confidential advocacy, support services, and prevention education for students, staff, and faculty affected by sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking.
- AS Take Back the Night (TBTN)
- A student-led organization focused on raising awareness of sexual violence through activism, education, and events like the annual Take Back the Night rally.
- UCSB Women’s Center
- Offers education, resources, and programming related to gender equity, empowerment, and supporting survivors of gender-based violence.
- UCSB Title IX Office
- Handles reports of sexual harassment and assault and ensures university policies are followed.
- Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) Provides mental health services, crisis support, and therapy for students, including trauma-informed care for survivors.
More Community-Based Resources:
- Isla Vista Community Services District (IVCSD)
- While not exclusively focused on sexual assault, IVCSD supports community wellness and safety efforts, often partnering with advocacy organizations.
- Isla Vista Foot Patrol (IVFP)
- A local law enforcement agency working to ensure public safety in Isla Vista. They often respond to sexual assault cases and collaborate with campus resources.
- Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center (now part of STESA)
- Provides trauma-informed support and education to the greater Santa Barbara area.
- UC Police Department (UCPD)
- Offers safety resources and support in collaboration with UCSB Title IX and UCSB CARE
- The UCSB Police Department offered the following safety tips (directly sourced from their website):
- Perpetrators are responsible for sexual assault. Crime victims are never responsible for the behavior of perpetrators.
- If you start to feel concerns about a person or a situation, trust your instincts and try to remove yourself as quickly as possible from the potential threat.
- If you think someone is at risk of assault or abuse, you should consider it an emergency and act to support that person. You can call the police or ask for help from other people, intervene directly if safe, or create a distraction to help remove the potential victim from the situation.
- If you feel you are being followed, try to get the attention of people nearby, run/walk to a well-lit and/or more populated area, and call 911 to ask for help.
Safety First Always
Sexual Assault Awareness Month is just more than a month, it is a big call to action, a reflection of our actions, and solidarity with those affected. As college students, community members, and allies; it is our responsibility to carry on what April teaches us in awareness of difficult yet real-life topics and events that happen every day and sometimes go unseen. From statistics to a community perspective, Isla Vista is a learning center for how to combat situations of sexual assault, abuse, harassment, and other uncomfortable events that are life-changing. Survivors can find a safe space through organizations both in the community and students, which also advocate for safer campuses, informed communities, and even the rise in importance for survivor policies at UC campuses. As Karla Huizar mentioned in her comments on SAAM, change is possible when Isla Vista or Santa Barbara comes together. Its not just a moment, it is a movement that we all have a role to play.
Interested in another perspective on SAAM? Read Grace Khan’s Article from the Merrimack Chapter!