Opening students’ eyes to the truth and reality of sexual violence, Biola University is hosting Sexual Violence Awareness Week, themed “Give Voice,” alongside National Sexual Violence Awareness month, April. The week will host a myriad of events for students to gain an understanding of sexual violence and offer a safe place to give voice to victims.

A recent campus sexual assault study, according to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, revealed that when young women get to college, nearly 20 percent of them will be victims of attempted or actual sexual assault, as will about six percent of undergraduate men. Rape is said to be the least reported and convicted violent crime in the United States.
 
In response to the growing impact of sexual violence, Biola hopes to give voice to victims and talk beyond rape prevention — the more common topic on college campuses. Bringing healing and hope to students as well as knowledge, the campus will turn into an open environment for students to discuss sexual violence and its impact on society and college communities.