April Events Devoted to Sexual Assault Awareness

Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) is a national campaign held in April that raises awareness and education about sexual assault. At UC Merced, the Campus Advocacy, Resources and Education (CARE) office holds a range of SAAM events all month in collaboration with students, other campus offices and community organizations to highlight the campus’s commitment to standing in solidarity with and empowering survivors.

This year’s SAAM events include:

• Clothesline Project – The CARE Office hosted workshops in March where campus community members could create T-shirts that will be displayed across various locations on campus throughout the month of April. Bobcats who would like to participate in the Clothesline Project but would like to remain anonymous can fill out the Your Story Matters Anonymous Survey. The CARE Office will create tees on behalf of these anonymous voices to ensure their stories get told.

• Holistic Healing – every Tuesday in April

  • Healing with Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) on April 4, 18 and 25, from 5-6:30 p.m., in Granite Pass 140. Sessions include:

    • April 4 - My Life as Canvas, Grace L. Abear, M.S., AMFT, APCC

    • April 18 - Healing through Your Story, Tamara Isaac Cooksey, LMFT

    • April 25 - Healing through Sensory Support, CAPS staff

  • Healing with Maracuya Botanicals – Participants will learn how herbal remedies and aromatherapy can support them through feelings of anxiety and stress while learning how to make herbal aromatherapy rollers. Two sessions will be held:

    • staff are invited April 11, noon-1 p.m., in the California Room: RSVP online.

    • students are invited April 11, 5-6:30 p.m., in the Multicultural Center in the library (KL) 167, RSVP online.

• Take Back the Night March – April 13, 6-10 p.m. Students, faculty, staff and community members will gather at the Beginnings Sculpture at 6 p.m. and march through campus for an evening of solidarity against all forms of sexual violence. The march will finish at the Wallace-Dutra Amphitheater with a resource fair and guest speaker Josie Feemster. The night will culminate with special performances from campus community members. Individuals who can’t make it at 6 p.m. can join along the march route. A poster-making event for the march will be held from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Monday, April 3, in the Multicultural Center, KL 167, and from 4:30-6 p.m. Tuesday, April 4, in Granite Pass 103.

• Denim Day – April 26. The campus community is encouraged to wear denim all day to help educate others about sexual violence and combat victim blaming. Join the CARE office from 5-7 p.m. April 26 in KL 169 to express your feelings about sexual assault on denim (provided). Students, staff, alumni and faculty can also submit their denim day artwork (digital or physical) showing support for survivors of sexual violence. Contest participants must submit this form to the CARE office (KL 107) weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by email by April 23. Voting will take place April 25.

The campus also provides resources of support and advocacy for victims and survivors all year long. CARE has recently updated its website to include more information and new features.

New to the website is the ability to book an appointment online with Campus Advocate Guadalupe Naranjo using a UC Merced net ID or Gmail account. She also can be reached by calling or texting 209-386-2051 Monday through Friday from 9 am. to 5 p.m. To reach an advocate after hours and on weekends, contact the Valley Crisis Center 24-hour hotline at 209-722-4357.

At the request of students, CARE has added more information about sexual assault forensic exams, including available locations.

Stay up to date on activities by following @UCMCARE on Instagram or visit the CARE website.