Problem

Rape and sexual assault (other forms of forced or coerced sexual contact) are crimes that affect 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys before the age of 18. In the year 2005, 330 cases of sexual abuse were reported to Child Welfare Services in San Luis Obispo County. Evidence that a child has been sexually abused is not obvious, and many children do not report that they have been abused. The Prevention Education Department works to educate this vulnerable population and raise their awareness.

The Gift

Your $15 donation will provide one young man or woman with a sexual assault prevention education program. a) The Girl’s Assertiveness and Self-Defense training incorporates awareness skills, assertiveness skills, positive self-image, and physical self-defense techniques. These trainings empower young women to value their bodies and fight to protect them if the need were ever to arise. b) The MyStrength Club is specifically designed to reach teen-age boys to address issues of masculinity and how they intercede with violence, specifically, violence against women.These groups focus on healthy relationships, identifying social pressures, and changing current societal expectations about what it means to be a man.