Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Community Awareness Coordinator Kim Brumfield is reminding Historic City News readers in St Augustine and St Johns County that April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month; a time to raise public awareness about sexual assault and to educate communities and individuals on how to prevent sexual violence.

Sexual violence affects people of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds.

“This year’s campaign is healthy sexuality and its connection to child sexual abuse prevention,” Brumfield told local news reporters. “Learning about healthy childhood sexual development helps adults promote positive characteristics, skills and behaviors.”

This month’s activities at Betty Griffin House will include tools to help support parents, communities and organizations in identifying sexual abuse risk factors. Brumfield says their goal is to support healthy boundaries and to challenge negative messages directed at children.

It’s time to start a dialogue, and the topic of the conversation is healthy sexuality. By starting the conversation in the early stages of child development, this dialogue can help young people build safe, healthy relationships.

If you or someone you know is being abused, please call our hotline at (904) 824-1555.

As a private, nonprofit agency, Betty Griffin House provides emergency shelter to abused women, men, their minor children. Other support services available to shelter residents and non-residents include a 24-hour crisis hotline, individual and group counseling, forensic medical rape exams, and legal assistance. Confidential individual and group counseling are available in all parts of St. Johns County including, Hastings, Ponte Vedra Beach, St. Johns, St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach. For more information or to make a donation, visit their website at www.bettygriffinhouse.org. Become our fan on Facebook.