Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM)
About SAAM
Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) is recognized nationally every April to raise awareness about sexual and gender-based violence through education, prevention, and survivor support. Sexual and gender-based violence includes a range of harmful behaviors, including, but not limited to sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, and sexual harassment.
Join us throughout April for a series of events, activities, and programs designed to empower individuals and strengthen our community in our mission to end sexual and gender-based violence.
Events
Special Event: Take Back the Night
LiveWell and SARVA
Save the Date: April 17, 2026, 5-7 p.m. at wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House
Join us in supporting survivors and helping to end sexual and gender-based violence with our empowering keynote and student speakers, an inspiring student-created art exhibit, and a beautiful candlelight vigil honoring survivors. Learn about resources available for survivors and how you can make a difference.
Stay tuned for details about the event and how to RSVP.
History of Take Back the Night
Take Back the Night (TBTN) is a global movement to end sexual violence. It began in 1975 when women in Philadelphia held a demonstration after the murder of Susan Alexander Speeth. Similar protests emerged in Germany and England, and in 1976, a nighttime march at the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women in Brussels helped internationalize the movement.
Founded in 2001, the Take Back the Night Foundation (TBTNF) provides survivors with resources, event support, and legal aid. Today, TBTN events worldwide—including marches, vigils, and educational workshops—continue to drive legislative change, support survivors, and work toward ending sexual violence.
We are thrilled to bring this empowering event to the University of Washington.
University of Washington resources
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual or gender-based violence, you may wish to seek our resources or support. The resources below provide guidance on how to navigate these situations and provide support while respecting a survivor’s privacy.
Additional resources
- RAINN
- PSYCOM
- Joyful Heart
- NSVRC: The National Sexual Violence Resource Center
- King County Sexual Assault Resource Center
- PCAR Guide: A Guide for Friends and Family of Sexual Violence Survivors
- The National Domestic Violence Hotline
- New Beginnings: Ending Domestic Violence (King County)
Sponsors
LiveWell: Health Promotion & Prevention is a dedicated unit of professionals who believe in the impact of health promotion, advocacy, and education. The team works collaboratively to deliver effective educational programming and intervention services to students at the UW. Our goal is to foster a community where individual agency is powered to positively impact health and well-being in our communities and in our own lives.
Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Activists (SARVA) is a student-led entity of the Associated Students of the University of Washington (ASUW) dedicated to combating sexual assault and relationship violence in the UW community. We serve as liaisons between the student body and institutional resources, providing advocacy, education, and programming for survivors and allies. SARVA works to raise awareness, dispel myths, and foster open discussions about sexual assault and relationship violence. Through activism and education, we aim to create a sex-positive culture while advocating for survivors and providing vital support to the UW community.
Questions?
If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please email lwevents@uw.edu.