Recognizing Sexual Assault Awareness Month This April

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness, support survivors, and promote education around prevention and consent.
Sexual assault awareness is about recognizing, preventing, and responding to harm in our community. Sexual assault includes any unwanted sexual contact or behavior without clear, voluntary consent. It can affect people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds, and its impacts can be long-lasting—physically, emotionally and socially.

As a community, we all have a role to play. This means fostering a culture of respect, understanding consent and supporting survivors without judgment. Listening, believing and connecting individuals to local resources—such as crisis hotlines, counseling services, and advocacy groups—can make a meaningful difference.

EvergreenHealth Emergency Care offers support through the Forensic Nurse Examiner (FNE) team. These specially trained nurses provide compassionate care for individuals aged 14 and older who need a sexual assault examination and evidence collection. The FNE team also provides evidence collection for victims of domestic violence of all ages.

Education and open conversations help break stigma and empower people to speak up, seek help and look out for one another. By working together, we can create safer spaces where everyone feels respected and protected.

To learn more about the FNE team and available sexual assault and domestic violence resources, visit EvergreenHealth's Sexual Assault Medical Exam page.