The following content deals with potentially triggering information and terminology as it seeks to educate readers on sexual assault and bring awareness to this issue.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (or SAAM). It is a time to learn the facts, recognize the signs, and ensure survivors know they’re not alone. This blog is written for friends, family, and community members who want to help understand what sexual assault is, what to look for, how to reduce the risk, and where to find support.
This blog covers:
- National and state statistics on sexual assault and sexual violence
- Signs someone may need help
- Practical steps for prevention, and how bystanders can step in
- How the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter helps support survivors and seeks to build prevention in our community
- Resources if you need help
Sexual Assault Affects More People Than You Might Think
60% of Arkansas women have experienced domestic violence, stalking, and/or sexual violence and abuse by a partner. By the time they are 18, 1 in 3 teenagers will have experienced some sort of abuse in a relationship.
Arkansas consistently ranks among the top ten states in the nation for domestic violence. In 2025, Arkansas ranked 15th in the country for sexual offences, with 3,117 sexual offences reported. However, many sexual assaults go unreported, which means that the number was likely significantly higher.
Whether you are aware of it or not, statistically, you know someone who has survived sexual assault. Experiencing sexual assault is a deeply traumatizing experience and requires a lot of support and care.
Know the Signs
Sexual assault (or SA) is defined in Arkansas as any nonconsensual sexual act that occurs through coercion and/or force, or in cases where the victim is unable to give consent due to mental incapacity, intoxication, or age. Arkansas further defines SA in degrees based on the level of power and/or authority that the perpetrator holds.
Signs to look for if someone you love has been a victim of sexual assault are:
- Excessive fatigue and sadness, and/or sudden and uncharacteristic mood changes
- Lack of interest in hobbies, academics, or work
- Unexplained STIs or STDs
- Withdrawing from social situations or relationships
- Substance abuse
- Self harm
- Suicidal ideation, or attempted suicide
- For children, recurrence of bedwetting is a common sign of child sexual assault (CSA)
Children, teens, and young adults are the most vulnerable to sexual violence and abuse. Knowing the signs can help you and others get much-needed help early on. For most survivors of SA, assaults take place near their home and by someone they were familiar with, if not their intimate partner.
When SA comes from an intimate partner, it is usually accompanied by coercion, control, and manipulation. If you are concerned that you or someone you love is in a controlling or coercive relationship, reach out to a trusted friend and/or the NWAWS hotline immediately.
NWAWS hotline: 479-246-9999
NWA Center for Sexual Assault hotline: 1-800-794-4175
National SA hotline: 800-656-4673
The trauma that comes with experiencing SA requires a lot of understanding and kindness. Reporting SA can cause repressed trauma to return to the surface, which is one of many reasons survivors often don’t report SA. Another reason survivors may not report is fear of retaliation or further harm. It is important to support survivors wherever they fall on their journey to healing. It is also important to remember that healing is not a straight-line journey, but a meandering one. Trauma triggers come and go and vary season to season.
If you are a survivor of SA and are unsure exactly how to navigate this path, the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter has advocates and counselors on staff to support you as you begin the process of healing. You are not alone, and you will be met with kindness and find the support you need.
If you know someone who has survived SA, the first step you can take in supporting them is to believe them.
Supporting Survivors
Maybe you are not a survivor, but have observed an assault. Bystanders and witnesses have an important role to play in making sure a dangerous situation does not escalate any further.
If you are a bystander to an assault or something that might escalate into an assault, there are some safe steps you can take to help:
- Stay calm.
- Find a way to create a distraction so you can get the victim away from the situation.
- Bring others in – there is power in numbers!
- Stay with the victim until further help arrives.
- If you feel you should call the police, do not leave the area until they arrive, unless it would be unsafe to stay.
- Be available if the victim needs to be accompanied home.
- Take care of yourself! Witnessing SA can also be highly traumatizing; it is important to talk to a trusted friend or therapist.
While many sexual assaults go unreported, many survivors will share with those close to them. When an SA survivor shares their story with you, it is important to respond in a way that ensures they feel safe and cared for. In these conversations, be sure to remember:
- Believe survivors. Don’t ask for details, but respond with “I am sorry that happened to you,” “I believe you,” and “it’s not your fault.”
- Validate their feelings.
- Listen carefully and attentively. Do not question.
- Don’t rush the conversation. Let them tell their story the way it makes sense to them.
- Be ready for further conversations down the road. There is no timeline or deadline on healing. Be ready and available to listen as much as is necessary.
- Know what resources are available so you can point survivors in the right direction.
- Don’t carry it all on your own. Take care of yourself, too.
Reporting can exacerbate trauma for a survivor. If a survivor chooses to report, it is important to support them through that process. Some ways you can do so are by offering to drive them to the police station and, if it is permitted, to sit in on interviews with them.
Preventing SA
In an ideal world, SA would not exist at all. And that is our goal at NWAWS: to leave the world safer than we found it. The first step to preventing SA is educating oneself and others. Additionally, there are also tangible ways to make prevention a part of everyday life.
- Believe survivors, share their stories, and support them.
- Be an advocate for change – email your senators and representatives.
- Create space for open conversations in your community.
- Protect those at higher risk.
- For parents or caregivers of children, make sure you know who your child is spending time with. Most CSA is perpetrated by someone close to the child.
- Empower children to say “no!” and know who to contact if they feel unsafe or uncomfortable.
- Ensure that you are someone who is safe to talk to if someone needs help getting out of an unsafe situation.
- Teach children about healthy boundaries.
- Donate and/or volunteer with organizations that care for survivors and help facilitate change.
What YOU Can Do
Did you know that the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter regularly helps and supports victims of sexual assault?
Just one of the many ways the NWAWS does this is through regularly hosting community events centered around preventive education. In 2025, the NWAWS hosted 24 trainings, 22 for adults and 2 for youth. 1,379 individuals attended; 675 adults and 704 youth. Community education is vitally important in an effort to educate both adults and youth on how to spot the risk of sexual violence before it occurs.
Eradicating sexual assault starts with education. Educating those who are at the highest risk, educating caregivers, educating whole communities to protect the vulnerable, and calling out harmful behavior and language before it escalates into anything worse. Together, we can seek to create a world that is safer for everyone – where we treat one another with respect and kindness, and where women do not have to live in fear.
If you, or someone you know, has witnessed or experienced sexual assault, please call any of the following hotlines below.
Resources
National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-4673
National Sexual Assault Hotline: Text HOPE to 64673
National Sexual Assault Hotline Online Chat
Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter Hotline: 479-246-9999 or 1-800-775-9011
Northwest Arkansas Center for Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-794-4175
RAINN