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“No means ‘no.’” No matter what the situation is.
Marking the 21st anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, various discussions about consent and boundaries have been discussed.
During this year’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month, rapper Cardi B came to Twitter to speak up for victims on Thursday.
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“Before April is over, don’t forget it’s sexual assault awareness month,” Cardi tweeted.
She continued.
“No means no! It’s doesn’t matter what you wear, it doesn’t matter who you are, male or female. For anyone going through this, the shame is not yours to carry… it’s the monsters who do this. #SAAM2022.”
Lastly, the Bronx native tweeted, “Also parents we can’t forget our children. There are sick people everywhere, daycare, schools, you name it. Make sure you teach them from a early age, no one is to touch your private parts & never be afraid to tell mommy & daddy when someone makes you uncomfortable. #SAAM2022”
Cardi shared her earlier comments on Instagram wanting to discuss Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
“We have to talk about sexual assault in April…,” in addition to her Twitter message. Increasing awareness is one way to help stop it.
Annually, Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) is held to increase public awareness of sexual assault and to educate communities and people on ways to prevent sexual violence against all ages, genders, and sexual orientations. It takes place in April.
Every April, state, territory, tribal, and community-based organizations, rape crisis centers, government agencies, businesses, campuses, and individuals organize events and activities to raise awareness of sexual violence as a public health, human rights, and social justice issue and to emphasize the importance of prevention efforts.
“Women, children, and even men should never have to feel silenced or humiliated for expressing their experience and holding sick a** people accountable,” Cardi exclaimed in her caption. “It’s all right to speak up! We must be more vigilant in protecting ourselves and our children by instilling in them the belief that there are no secrets between mommy and daddy.”
Individuals pushing for sexual assault prevention have existed for as long as there have been people who care about making the world a better place.
According to National Sexual Violence Resource Center, during the civil rights era in the United States in the 1940s and 1950s, movements for social change and equality gained traction. Activists for equal rights began to question the current system, even though open discussion of the realities of sexual assault and domestic abuse was prohibited.
During this time, Black women and women of color led the charge. Advocates like Rosa Parks worked at the intersections of racial and gender-based violence (a framework that advocate and academic Kimberlé Crenshaw coined “intersectionality” over thirty years ago in 1989).
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Throughout the 1970s, widespread social movement surrounding the topic of sexual assault continued, bringing with it support for survivors and increased awareness.
The first rape crisis center was established in San Francisco in 1971, seven years before the inaugural Take Back the Night action in the United States.
If you have experienced sexual assault, sexual harassment, and or sexual abuse of any kind, please seek help. The number to the National Sexual Assault Hotline is (1-800-656-4673).
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