SAAM, Sexual Assault Awareness Month, is the month of April.
Happy April to all those who are committed to ending sexual violence! As we welcome another Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) at WOAR, we look forward to hosting the Philadelphia Survivor’s March at the end of this month.
This event is a loving callback to what was once a Sexual Assault Awareness Month staple at WOAR for a decade. From 2006 to 2016, WOAR hosted the Take It All Back (TIAB) event. This was WOAR’s version of Take Back the Night which also acknowledged the myth that sexual violence only happens at night.
After 2016, WOAR’s focus shifted to events at City Hall to increase public awareness of our services and the entire community’s efforts to fight sexual violence. While these events had a powerful impact, some of us missed the collective spirit and shared purpose of an event like Take It All Back (TIAB).
The energy of survivors and allies taking to the streets and raising our collective voice to bring awareness to this issue and call out rape culture was powerful. This event was sometimes a survivor’s first experience using their voice in this way, and WOAR was grateful to be able to provide the means for survivors to grow their skills and confidence by using their voices to advocate for change.
This year, WOAR is thrilled to bring back a community-focused, survivor-centered event in a BIG WAY! The Philadelphia Survivor March is April 27, 2024, beginning at 10:30 am in Love Park at 15th Street and JFK Boulevard. We will gather together as a community and march around City Hall, then straight down Market Street to the Independence Visitor Center.
This route is just under one mile long. We welcome you to bring your voices, friends, family, and signs to raise your voice against sexual violence. We are attempting to make this event as accessible as possible, so stay tuned for more information about the route and road conditions to determine if it’s accessible for your mobility device or stroller.
The March will be followed by a Speak Out where you will witness several survivors share their healing stories and/or talents with the community. We also plan to have refreshments, community resource tables, and other activities at the conclusion of the March. If you’d like to participate but cannot, or choose not to march, please meet us at 6th and Market Streets at the end of the march to join the Speak Out.
Date: Saturday, April 27, 2024
Time: 10:30 am – 2:00 pm
Meeting location: Love Park, 15th & JFK Boulevard
(Google Maps: JFK Plaza (Love Park), Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19102)
Speak Out location: Independence Visitor Center, 599 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(Google Maps)
Click HERE to see a virtual tour of the Independence Visitor Center space. Scroll down the page until you see the image below, then click on the image to start the virtual tour. As you click around, you’ll move through the space.
Christine Kannegiser, MA, LPC, is the Clinical Director at WOAR. She has been a member of the Direct Client Services team for more than 10 years during which she has served in multiple roles.
