SPOKANE, Wash – April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The month was dedicated in 2001 to raise awareness about sexual violence and educate communities and individuals about their role in prevention. The theme this year is “Building Connected Communities.”
According to the Administration of Children and Families, one in four women experience sexual abuse at some point in their lives. For men, it’s one in six.
The majority of sexual assault victims are under the age of 30, with ages 12 to 34 being the highest risk years.
“The things that come across in society, that it’s the survivor’s fault, because of what they were wearing, or choices they made, really don’t help put blame where it should go… [which] is on the person who caused the abuse. And, rather takes the focus and responsibility away from them,” Blaine Huizinga, the Sexual Abuse Awareness and Response Trainer at The Arc of Spokane, said.
For any victim that comes to The Arc for help, Huizinga says believing victims is a way to empower them and to help them to recover.
“Unfortunately, the folks we work with, who happen to have intellectual and developmental disabilities face barriers of not being believed. Whether that’s because of their disability, maybe not being seen as a credible witness, it’s really important for us to acknowledge those myths and recognize it could happen to anyone,” Huizinga said.
Lutheran Community Services Northwest Spokane (LCSNW) is a Spokane County certified sexual assault center that provides legal and medical advocacy, safety planning, community education and crisis response.
Their 24-hour Sexual Assault Support line is 509-624-7273 and their Crime Victim Support line is 509-747-8224.
“With survivors, talking about empowerment, it’s really asking them what tools they want to work on and grow. And sometimes, in order for healing, after sexual violence, it is learning [self-defense]. Sometimes it’s going to therapy. Sometimes it’s working on a trauma narrative,” Roschelle Cleland, the Director of Advocacy and Education at LCSNW, said.
At Krav Maga Spokane, instructors believe that a knowledge of self-defense not only could an individual to stay safe, but it can also teach awareness of surroundings and how to respond to predators.
Krav Maga is an Israeli martial arts discipline and an intense self-defense training regime.
“After COVID, there’s no more social boundaries…We see this time and time again with women, potentially being an easier victim. This is where Krav Maga comes into play,” Brayson Beckner, the chief instructor and owner of Krav Maga Spokane, said.
Their studio hosts seminars throughout the year designed for women to learn self-defense skills and to teach them how to get out of dangerous situations.
“Just having that confidence and that fundamental understanding that if something does go bad, or if they’re put into a situation where they can’t avoid and deescalate, that they have the capability to defend themselves,” Beckner said.
On Saturday, Krav Maga Spokane will be hosting a women’s self-defense seminar taught by female instructors from noon to 3 p.m.
