Courtesy Photo Teal is the color of sexual assault awareness and prevention. Show your support for survivors this month by wearing teal or placing a teal ribbon or heart in your window.

ALPENA ­– Hope Shores Alliance is asking the community to share in honoring this April for National Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

To commemorate, HSA is appealing for all of Northeast Michigan to recognize the role of all citizens in supporting survivors through the campaign, “Everyday Advocates: Believe, Support, Validate.”

The month will be filled with awareness and interactive opportunities through local businesses to learn more about being an everyday advocate for survivors and how to receive disclosures.

Sexual violence devastates within our own communities and affects all people regardless of sexuality, gender, socio-economic status, race, or religion. More than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced contact sexual violence during their lifetime. Additionally, only 19% of rapes, completed or attempted, are reported annually.

This year, local businesses across the five-county service area have partnered with HSA in taking a stand against the violence. These businesses will be hosting our “Take What You Need, Give What You Can” interactive displays as part of the Everyday Advocates campaign. Business patrons can support by creating and posting encouraging messages for survivors of sexual violence and/or taking a message that speaks to them. By participating, patrons are entered into a prize raffle drawn at the end of the month.

Anyone interested in taking part in the campaign can visit the Hope Shores Alliance Facebook page to discover which businesses they can visit to participate.

While Outreach and Support Advocate Amanda Kucharek engages with sexual assault survivors though direct service, she believes the community at large has a big role to play.

“Even if you don’t have personal experience with sexual violence, the likelihood that someone close to you has is very high,” she said. “Stepping up and speaking out as an Everyday Advocate shows survivors that they are believed, supported, and validated by their friends and neighbors.”

The community is invited to purchase and wear an “I am an Everyday Advocate” article of clothing designed and printed by Family Enterprise Inc. Orders for clothing can be placed from April 1 – 15 through https://family-enterprise-inc.square.site/. In addition to supporting the cause, businesses that get involved will have their names included on the back of the garment.

Creating safer communities and supporting survivors throughout their healing journeys means involvement from multiple angles from nonprofits to businesses to individuals.

“The ability to use your platform to promote and work with establishments that are here to help heal your community is one of your duties as a public figure,” co-owner of Cedar and Threads Griffin James said. “Business is a lot more than just making a buck when I feel your first responsibility is to be a human being.”

Additional opportunities for individuals will be made through an interactive social media campaign with the community along with a collaborative awareness event with Alpena Community College. This year HSA and ACC are co-hosting a Candlelight Vigil titled “Be a Light: Honoring Survivors of Sexual Violence” beginning at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27 in the newly renovated Van Lare Hall common area. The vigil will be open to the public and will be livestreamed on Facebook.

Join Hope Shores Alliance in honoring SAAM by participating in the awareness activities below:

¯ Local businesses, if you would like to get involved by donating a prize for the raffle drawing, contact Hope Shores Alliance at 989-356-2560.

¯ Visit Hope Shores Alliance’s Facebook page to discover participating area businesses to contribute to the interactive Take What You Need, Give What You Can display.

¯ Purchase the limited-edition HSA garments through Family Enterprise, all proceeds will be donated to HSA: https://family-enterprise-inc.square.site/ Order between April 1-15.

¯ Participate in our interactive social media posts. Hope Shores Alliance asks the community to wear teal, the color of sexual assault awareness and prevention. Photos and other posts can be shared on social media by tagging Hope Shores Alliance’s Facebook and Instagram or using the hashtags #hopeshoresalliance, #saam and #supportsurvivors.

¯ Denim Day – April 27: Wear jeans with a purpose, support survivors and educate yourself and others about all forms of sexual violence.

¯ Join us in person at ACC or by watching the Facebook livestream of “Be a Light: Honoring Survivors of Sexual Violence,” on HSA’s Facebook page beginning at 7 p.m. on April 27.