April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. At Santa Monica College (SMC), our goal has always been to provide support for survivors of sexual assault as well as raising community awareness about sexual harassment, crime, and abuse and educate communities on how to prevent it.
During this time, we want the whole SMC community to know that you are not alone. While sexual violence does not just occur in April during this month at SMC, we annually provide a special focus to spotlight the issues.
We have created on ground and virtual events and a list of resources to provide support, education, virtual gathering and learning for victims and survivors of sexual assault and all those who are allies and care about them.
April 2022 Events
Beyond Sex Toolbox Series Workshop: Thursday, March 31, 2022
Consent and Intimate Partner Violence
Time: 11:15 a.m. to 12:35 p.m.
Day of Action: Tuesday, April 5, 2022
Sexual Assault Awareness Month Resolution
Supported by the Santa Monica College Board of Trustees
Wear the color teal to support survivors!
Workshop: Tuesday, April 19, 2022
Empowerment through Self Defense
Time: 11:30 am to 1:00 pm
Location: SMC CPC Room 281
Join Garen Baghdasarian, from the Kinesiology/PE department. The workshop will consider strategies to avoid violent conflict, necessary self-defense tools for when physical altercation cannot be prevented, martial arts techniques that will help develop individual empowerment, claiming of your space, and survival under dangerous circumstances.
Everyone is welcome and wear comfortable clothes.
For more information contact BAGHDASARIAN_GAREN@smc.edu
If you need an accommodation due to a disability to participate, please contact the Center for Students with Disabilities at dsps@smc.edu or 310-434-4265 at least 5 business days prior to the event.
Community Clothesline Project & Resource Fair, Thursday, April 14th
Time: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Screen Printing, Ice Cream and More
Location: USC Village Great Lawn 3301 S Hoover St
Click here to Register
Beyond Sex Toolbox Series: Workshop: Thursday, April 21, 2022
Supporting Survivors of Trauma
Time: 11:15 a.m. to 12: 35 p.m.
Location: Zoom
Workshop: Monday, April 25, 2022
Yoga to Calm the Nervous System
Time: 10:00 am to 11:00 am
Location: SMC CPC Room 216
Join Johanna Bennett, from the Kinesiology/PE department. This workshop is presented to support healing for survivors of sexual violence and abuse. You are invited to practice yoga movement, breathing, relaxation and meditation to calm the nervous system. This class is created to bring relief from an overactive mind by anchoring into the body, heart, and the present moment through various Yoga practices. Everyone is welcome & wear comfortable clothes
For more information contact Bennett_Johanna@smc.edu
If you need an accommodation due to a disability to participate, please contact the Center for Students with Disabilities at dsps@smc.edu or 310-434-4265 at least 5 business days prior to the event.
Denim Day: Wednesday, April 27, 2022
Art + Empowerment
Time: 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: SMC Art Department Complex (RM 126)
Join Art Therapist and SMC Alumni Saba Harouni Lurie alongside SMC’s Art department for an evening of food and art making
To commemorate Denim Day we invite you to explore your inner voice and process through making and building art. Everyone participating will work on their own art pieces and can contribute to a larger dialogue as a group building a quilt of denim swatches. Denim, Materials, Food, Refreshments & More will be provided
For more information contact Emily Silver, Art faculty Silver_Emily@smc.edu | Other Denim Day Activities
If you need an accommodation due to a disability to participate, please contact the Center for Students with Disabilities at dsps@smc.edu or 310-434-4265 at least 5 business days prior to the event.
Beyond Sex Toolbox Series
Workshop: Thursday, May 12, 2022
Unconscious Bias
Time: 11:15 a.m. to 12: 35 p.m.
Location: Zoom
Class: Women’s Self Defense
Blaine Eastcott, from the Kinesiology/PE department, teaches Kin/PE 41W. A 16-week course designed to empower women to feel safe in their surroundings. The class covers prevention methods such as awareness, ways to conduct, carry yourself to ward off attackers, and methods and techniques to defend yourself if the unthinkable happens, including defensive strikes and escape techniques that will work on anyone, even a bigger and stronger opponent. You will have an answer for any way, anyone lays an unwanted hand on you. You will have these techniques for the rest of your life.
If you need an accommodation due to a disability to participate, please contact the Center for Students with Disabilities at dsps@smc.edu or 310-434-4265 at least 5 business days prior to the event.
Other Activities
Attend a SAAM Event: Join from anywhere!
Stay connected and engaged any time by checking out the events below.
Meditation, Yoga and Mindfulness
In Honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month: Ground and breathe your way into a gentle and peaceful practice in the healing power of meditation, yoga and mindfulness.
Click to Join the Meditation, Yoga and Mindfulness Activities
Empowerment Self Defense Training
Click to Request an Empowerment Self Defense Training
Peace Over Violence is offering Empowerment Self-Defense courses. They provide psychological awareness and verbal skills, not just physical training. Instructors utilize two cameras via Zoom–one for audio and one to display full range of motion for body movement throughout the class.
Virtual self-defense classes can be provided in English and Spanish.
Scavenger Hunt
SAAM 101 Virtual Scavenger Hunt
Get involved in Sexual Assault Awareness Month by hosting a scavenger hunt where you’ll learn how we can all work together in building safe online spaces together free of harassment and abuse. National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC)
Day of Action: April 5, 2022
Participate in the #30DaysofSAAM on Instagram
Wear teal, the color of sexual violence prevention, and share your selfie or create a photo collage with your friends, co-workers, teammates, etc.
Heal through Coloring
More coloring pages can be found here
More Ways to Get Involved
Host a SAAM Event: Choose an event to host or create your own.
Spread the word on social media: Check out social media guidance, graphics, and gifs to help make your voice heard.
Donate to your local rape crisis center or an organization that provide services to survivors in your area. You can also consider supporting NSVRC’s work to create safer communities and help survivors.
Join a Blog
Check out some of the blogs below:
- Preventing Online Sexual Victimization of People with Developmental Disabilities
- Bystander Intervention Online
- Don't be a Noob - Talk to Boys About Online Safety
- We Can Build Healthy Social Norms Online
- Reentry into a Digital World
- We Can End Digital Victim-Blaming: How to Support Survivors of Sexual Violence Online
- Five Offline Strategies to Build ‘Sexual Citizenship’ Online
- Five Takeaways from the First-Ever Completely Virtual SAAM
- Six Ways You Can Support Survivors Online During SAAM
- Start at Home: Modeling Healthy Behaviors Keeps Kids Safe
- This Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Remember Incarcerated Survivors
- Sexual Violence: We Know How to Stop It
I want to do more at SMC
SMC has student clubs
Click here to find out about these student clubs
Join one of the Student Equity Center Advisory Groups
- Gender Equity Center
- Racial Justice Center
- Pride Center
- Dream resource Center
For more information contact Thomas Bui, Project Manager at Bui_Thomas@smc.edu
If you need to talk to someone
For Students
- Center for Wellness and Wellbeing 310-434-4503
- 24/7 Emotional Support: Call 1-800-691-6003
- Health Services Center 310-434-4262
- Ombuds Office 310-434-3986
For Employees
- EASE (Employee Assistance Services for Education)
- 1-800-882-1341
Other Confidential Support Services/Hotlines -- 24/7 and Free
- Santa Monica Rape Treatment Center 424-259-6000
- 1250 16th Street, Santa Monica 90404
- Center for Pacific Asian Family Hotline 1-888-339-3940
- LGBT National Help Center 1-888-843-4564 or National Youth Talkline 1-800-246-7743
- RAINN: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
- National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888 (TTY: 711) or text them at 233-733
- Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
- Click here for Other SMC and community support services
Advice and Self Care
- National Sexual Violence Resource Center - list of centers in EVERY state and territory
- A Toolkit for Survivors During COVID-19
- Self-Care for Sustainability and Impact Workbook
- Student’s Guide to Radical Healing
Any questions about the events or resources contact
Lisa Winter
Assistant Director, Human Resources, Compliance and Title IX
310-434-4225 |Winter_lisa@smc.edu