April is Sexual Assault Awareness

April rolls around, and here we are again—another Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Another four weeks of hashtags, vague corporate statements, and empty promises from a society that still doesn’t know how to handle the rampant epidemic of sexual violence against women. But let’s cut the fluff, shall we? Let’s talk about the real, raw, unfiltered truth about sexual assault and why women are still forced to scream into the void while the world politely looks away.

Sexual violence is a plague that infests every corner of our society. It doesn’t discriminate based on age, race, economic status, or geography. It happens in homes, in workplaces, in bars, in Ubers, in churches, on college campuses, in the military—everywhere. And yet, despite the overwhelming prevalence of sexual assault, survivors are still met with doubt, shame, and blame rather than justice.

Let’s get real: One in three women will experience sexual violence in her lifetime. That’s not some abstract statistic—that’s your sister, your best friend, your co-worker, your mother, and maybe even you. Every 68 seconds, another person in America is assaulted. And you know what’s even more sickening? Over 60% of those assaults will never even be reported because survivors know what they’re up against—a system that protects predators and punishes the people they hurt. A system that allows 97% of rapists to walk free.

For young women, it’s even worse. Women aged 18-24 are three times more likely to experience sexual violence, especially on college campuses where universities are more concerned about protecting their reputation than protecting their students. And for many, the violence started long before adulthood.

Sexual assault isn’t just about a stranger in the dark. It’s uncles, stepfathers, family friends—men who were supposed to protect, not destroy. It’s little girls silenced by fear, by shame, by the sickening realization that no one will believe them. It’s women carrying the weight of childhood trauma for decades, because no one ever asked, “What happened to you?”

The moment a woman comes forward about sexual assault, here come the excuses, the deflections, the mental gymnastics people use to justify the violence. What was she wearing? As if clothing has ever been a green light for rape. Was she drinking? Because apparently, a woman having a cocktail is an invitation for assault. She should have fought back. Funny how people who’ve never been in that situation think they’d suddenly turn into an action movie hero instead of freezing in terror.

And let’s not forget the classic, “But what about false accusations?” They make up less than 2% of cases. Meanwhile, actual rapists are out here getting away with it every single day. But sure, let’s keep acting like women are out here making this stuff up for fun.

And then there’s the infamous “Not all men!” Yes, obviously not all men assault women. But enough men do that sexual violence is an epidemic, so maybe, just maybe, that’s where our focus should be. Here’s what society still doesn’t get: The burden of prevention should NOT be on women. We are exhausted from carrying keys between our fingers, texting each other when we get home, pretending to have a boyfriend to ward off creeps, and constantly being on high alert just to exist in the world. Women don’t need to change their behavior. MEN NEED TO STOP ASSAULTING WOMEN. Period. End of discussion.

Some people act like consent is rocket science, but let’s break it down real simple: If she doesn’t say yes, it’s a no. If she’s unconscious, drunk, drugged, underage, or scared for her life, it’s a no. If you have to manipulate, pressure, or guilt her into it, it’s a no. Why is this so hard for some men to grasp? Because society has spent centuries teaching them that their pleasure is more important than a woman’s boundaries. That’s the truth we need to unlearn.

Look, awareness months are great, but survivors don’t need more hollow social media posts or PR-friendly soundbites. They need justice. They need safe spaces to heal. They need workplaces that don’t tolerate predators. They need a court system that doesn’t treat them like criminals for daring to come forward. They need more than just thoughts and prayers. They need action.

We need to believe survivors. We need to teach real consent education to our young ladies—not just a vague “no means no,” but actual discussions about coercion, boundaries, and respect. We need to hold men accountable. That means calling out rape jokes, shutting down predatory behavior, and refusing to let abusers off the hook just because they’re “a good guy” otherwise. And we need to fix the broken justice system that punishes victims more than perpetrators. Survivors deserve better than a world that forces them to relive their trauma just to be ignored.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month is not about making people feel comfortable. It’s about making them uncomfortable enough to demand change. It’s about giving survivors a voice when society has tried to silence them. It’s about refusing to settle for a world where women have to live in fear simply to exist. And it’s about recognizing the girls who never spoke, the women who never told, the survivors who carry invisible wounds from a childhood stolen.

So, if this made you uncomfortable—good. Sit with that discomfort. Then, do something about it.

I can speak on all of this because I, Coach Shonda, AM A SURVIVOR!!!

Thank you for reading. Until next time.

Coach Shonda

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