April is dedicated as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month and Frontier Health and Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office is giving its support.
SAAPM is a time dedicated to raising public awareness about sexual violence and education on how to prevent it. A press release states according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in three women and one in four men experience some form of sexual violence in their lifetime.
Throughout April, Frontier Health will be highlighting SAAPM on its social media outlets, with its efforts aiming “to empower individuals with knowledge, encourage open conversations and promote a culture of consent and respect.â€
“Survivors of sexual assault deserve to be heard, believed and supported,†said Tina Johnson, director of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services. “During Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, we reaffirm our commitment to providing resources, advocacy and education to create a community free from violence.â€
Frontier Health offers an array of services for sexual assault victims, which include:
- 24/7 sexual assault hotline 423-306-5169
- Accompaniment to forensic sexual assault exam
- Therapy for survivors, including EMDR therapy
- Court advocacy throughout the legal/court process
- Transportation to follow-up medical services and court related activities
The Frontier Safe House also plans to participate in Denim Day. Denim Day is a campaign held during SAAPM to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with survivors. The press release states this began after the Italian Supreme Court overturned a rape conviction, arguing that because the victim wore tight jeans, she must have helped remove them, implying consent.
Frontier Health supports Denim Day by wearing jeans and promoting others to do the same, along with sharing awareness on social media. This year, Denim Day is Wednesday, April 30.
The Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett also said his office has two programs available for victims of sexual assault. The programs are the Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program and Tennessee Businesses Against Trafficking.
“Our office is committed to supporting victims of horrific crimes, including domestic abuse, stalking, human trafficking and other offenses through Safe at Home and Tennessee Businesses Against Trafficking,†said Hargett. “We want Tennesseans to know these lifesaving resources are available to survivors and their families during Sexual Assault Awareness Month and throughout the year.â€
The Safe at Home Address Confidentiality program, according to a press release, was launched in 2019 and prevents abusers from locating victims through public records. It provides approved applicants with a substitute address for legal purposes at no cost, and anyone in a program participant’s household can use the substitute address—including children.
The other program, Tennessee Businesses Against Trafficking, is for businesses to engage themselves and their employees against human trafficking. It provides businesses and employees with no-cost, in-person or virtual training opportunities designed to integrate into an organization’s schedule.
Since the launch of the Safe at Home Address Confidentiality program, it has served 1,400 participants with 931 still active. Tennessee Businesses Against Trafficking, launched in 2024, has over 300 Tennessee businesses become official Tennessee Businesses Against Trafficking partners.
