April is national Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), and the University of Delaware is recognizing it with activities and events as part of the ongoing kNOw MORE campaign.

kNOw MORE is a reflection of the efforts by UD faculty, staff and students to stand up, participate and help raise awareness about sexual misconduct and gender-based violence. Central to the campaign is the kNOw MORE pledge, accessible from this website, which encourages everyone to demonstrate a commitment to being informed about sexual assault and harassment, report incidents of sexual misconduct, ensure consent for all sexual activity, be active bystanders and support victims.

SAAM at UD will kick off on Monday, April 3, when representatives from the Office of Equity and Inclusion and the University of Delaware Police Department will be on The Green from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to provide information and giveaways and invite students, faculty and staff to take the pledge.

The month will culminate on April 27 with a rally and march led by Students Acting for Gender Equity.

The campus community is encouraged to join the conversation on social media throughout April using #kNOwMOREatUD and the national hash tags #SAAM or #ItsOnUs.

Key Events

April 5, 6:30 p.m.: Delaware Crime Victim’s Tribute and Vigil, Delaware State University, Martin Luther King, Jr. Student Center. Ariana Langford, assistant to the executive director at Victims’ Voices Heard, will share her message of hope and encouragement to survivors of child abuse and sexual assault and to those who support them. Sponsored by Delaware Victims’ Rights Task Force.

April 5, 8:30 p.m.: Guest speaker Josh Robbins, Bacchus, Perkins Student Center. HIV/AIDs activist Josh Robbins, well known for his GLAAD-nominated blog I’m Still Josh, will speak about living a normal life despite being diagnosed with a stigmatized illness. Hosted by Promoters of Wellness.

April 6, 6 p.m.: Guest speaker Laci Green, Mitchell Hall (Tickets $1 at the door). Named one of Time’s “30 Most Influential People on the Internet,” Laci Green will speak about rape culture, how it’s perpetuated and what people can do to stop it. Green, a sex educator and YouTube personality from California, produced award-winning series for MTV, Discovery News and Planned Parenthood. She also produces the YouTube and blog series Sex Plus, which has over 1 million subscribers and viewers around the world. Sponsored by Special Interest Greek Council.

April 10, 7 p.m.: The Rise Up, with special guest Paulie Calafiore from Big Brother, Room 114, Gore Hall. Big Brother star Paulie Calafiore will speak about sexual assault and educate students on ways to rise up against it. Joining him will be a survivor from RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) — the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. Presented by Lambda Theta Alpha.

April 20, 7 p.m.: Where Do You Stand?, Room 205, Kirkbride Hall. A discussion to help participants identify or clarify beliefs and values related to sexual assault, sexual harassment and sexual abuse. Hosted by the Sexual Offense Support group.

April 27, 7 p.m.: Take Back the Night, featuring Mwende “FreeQuency” Katwiwa, location to be determined. Check the website. Performance by FreeQuency, a 25-year-old black, Kenyan, immigrant, queer poet and award-winning spoken word artist from New Orleans. After the event, join Students Acting for Gender Equity (SAGE) for a rally, march and speak-out against sexual assault. Presented by SAGE.

For more information  

To learn about additional events, take the kNOw MORE pledge or find resources related to sexual assault and harassment, visit www.udel.edu/knowmore.