Together We Create a Violence Free Oregon- SAAM 2023

APRIL IS SEXUAL ASSAULT ACTION MONTH Dear member programs and community partners, Our theme this year is “Together, We Create a Violence-Free Oregon- Will You Join Us?”.  SAAM is a critical month for community engagement to raise awareness, solicit donations and volunteers, and to deepen Sexual Violence advocacy work in Oregon’s anti-violence community by providing an open … Read more

Raising Sexual Violence Awareness Through Reading: Young Adult Literature and Youth Outreach

A book can be a window to the world or a mirror into one’s self. Young Adult Literature, or YA Lit, consists of books with teen readers and teen topics in mind. These books have become so popular that it is customary for them to have their own bookstore and library sections. They allow readers to look out … Read more

She reported a sexual assault; then, 6 years of silence

Vanessa Timmons, the Coalition’s executive director, was interviewed for an article in The Oregonian about a 2011 sexual assault case in Clackamas County. Vanessa Timmons, executive director of the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence, a statewide advocacy group, said some women may feel comfortable speaking out given the current nationwide focus on rape, sexual … Read more

Sexual violence, public disclosures, and social media

In light of recent events involving sexual assault, public disclosures, and social media, we’d like to clarify a few things: Alcohol doesn’t cause sexual assault; perpetrators do. Sexual assault is never caused by the use or abuse of alcohol or drugs, but by the perpetrator’s gross and wanton disregard of the victim’s autonomy and wishes. Alcohol … Read more