I noticed a poster in the Sun Tran bus recently about speaking out to stop harassment in the city streets, from Safe Streets AZ.

Safe Streets AZ is a project of the Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault (SACASA).

Their website says:

From comments, cat calls and whistles, to groping, stalking and threats – all of these go into creating an environment of fear and a lack of safety in public places. Many people are harassed on the basis of their perceived sexual orientation or gender, and youth and young adults are especially vulnerable. Public or street harassment is one of the most common forms of sexual violence, but it’s rarely reported and often not taken seriously.

Ask young women & some men about what it’s like to be harassed in the streets, and speak up to stop any harassment you notice going on. I myself was a victim of a lot of the aforementioned behavior in my twenties, including hate speech.

For more info, or to comment & share your story, go to http://safestreetsaz.com/.
If you are harassed you can report it by email safestreetsaz@gmail.com, or call or text (520) 477-SAFE (520-477-7233). And if the harassment becomes dangerous, of course call 911, or seek safety by finding a security officer nearby (i.e. city/county/federal buildings or the public libraries).

The Tucson community and University of Arizona are having a joint Take Back the Night event on Tuesday, April 10, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Two marches start at the MLK Student Center (for campus students/staff/faculty) and from Time Market (community members) to converge upon Geronimo Plaza (southeast corner of Euclid/University Blvd.) for speakers, a resource fair, as well as dance and performance artists, singers, and the opportunity for survivors to share their stories.

This year’s event features keynote speaker UA adjunct faculty member Dr. Frank Galarte, and performances by Boys R Us, Esperanza Dance Project, UA Pride Alliance.

The Take Back the Night movement “unifies community by educating and inspiring them to speak out against sexual violence”. More info: 520-626-1829, 520-327-1171, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TBTN.Tucson

More in the press release published here at Tucsoncitizen.com earlier in March (click here). Info on sponsor SACASA, Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault, www.sacasa.org.

Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault, a member of Arizona’s Children Association family of agencies, is a non-profit organization that offers a full range of services to victims of sexual assault in Pima County and throughout Southern Arizona. It is SACASA’s mission to reduce the trauma and incidence of sexual assault by providing treatment and promoting prevention of sexual abuse, incest, molestation and rape. We provide a safe place for survivors to gain strength, learn coping skills, and develop trusting, caring relationships.

Stop rape. Speak out against sexual violence. Support survivors.

“Carmen and Soledad were both sexually abused as children by family members. Now, as adults,they share their stories.”

They are inviting members of the community to participate in this video presentation/free event, which has been showing at 7 other libraries in October. Q & A following this 20 minute bilingual video.

More info call: Etty Collins, Su Voz Vale Community Educator, 520-434-0195.
SACASA website: www.sacasa.org.

I found out about this video series at the public libraries at the art show opening of The Healing Mask (“La Mascara Sandora”) at 4444 E. Grant Rd., Suite 113. Local artist Cathie Jo Buhlert worked with clients at the Su Voz Vale Program of the Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault “to express their feelings about the trauma of sexual assault.” These extremely creative masks (made from all types of materials) were very cathartic for the sexual assault victims (female & male), who also wrote poignant pieces of prose or poetry to accompany their masks.

To view some of the masks, click here for the flyer (English version).

Join them for a Dia de Los Muertos closing celebration tonight November 2, at this art show, 6 to 9 p.m. Suite 113 at 4444 E. Grant Road is between Columbus and Swan, on the south side of Grant.

At the Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault (SACASA) it is our mission to reduce the trauma and incidence of sexual assault by providing treatment and promoting prevention of sexual abuse, incest, molestation and rape. We provide a safe place for survivors to gain strength, learn coping skills, and develop trusting, caring relationships.