April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. REACH advocates routinely work with victims and survivors of all forms of sexual assault and abuse. After 38 years in this work, I can say, without reservation, that sexual assault, particularly child sexual assault, is our most underreported crime. It devastates victims in innumerable ways and leads to many other forms of both victimization and perpetration. 

It usually doesn’t start with a report or a formal complaint — it starts with a conversation. A friend, a classmate or a roommate quietly says, “Can I tell you something?” and suddenly, you’re the person they trust with something heavy. 

For many college students who experience sexual assault or relationship violence, confiding in a peer feels safer than reaching out to an office or making an official report. That means students are often the first line of support in moments that matter most.

Every October, we see purple ribbons, social media posts and brief mentions on the news about Domestic Violence Awareness Month. For many, it comes and goes like any other month. But for survivors, advocates and loved ones, October carries the weight of remembrance, grief and determination.