The You Are Safe program (YAS!) is on a mission to educate and improve awareness of sexual assault, as well as call attention to local resources. YAS! aims to increase the quality of life for sexual assault survivors in communities worldwide.
YAS! is a four-week virtual intervention program for residents of Sullivan and Washington County. In partnership with RISE: Healthy for Life, the program includes education on sexual assault, the role of community in prevention and post sexual assault and resources in the local community. It will take place virtually during the month of October.
“In this community, they weren’t doing a lot of things because they weren’t even aware of what sexual assault was in the beginning. They didn’t know what was available to them,” said Gladys Bolawa, program coordinator and master’s candidate. “How can you report if you’re not sure what’s (happening) to you if you’re not even aware that it happened.”
Week one will focus on the question: “what is sexual assault?” which intends to make participants more aware of the issue and form a greater understanding of their susceptibility.
Week two will focus on the role of community, helping participants identify the barriers and benefits of a change in the negative behavior associated with sexual assault.
Week three will cover sexual assault resources’ availability and accessibility. This section will provide resources such as hotlines, safe houses, organizations, health care, counseling and law enforcement.
Week four will cover how to use resources, which includes a step-by-step explanation of how to use the resources and how to advocate for change.
“Each weekly interaction, or weekly interactions and engagement, are expected to help change negative beliefs and attitudes towards sexual assault, increase perceived susceptibility, decrease perceived barriers, increase perceived benefits and increase knowledge and awareness of sexual assault and community resources,” said Donniqua Rolle, program coordinator and master’s candidate.
If you are interested in getting involved with YAS!, find updates on its Instagram and TikTok: y.a.s.stn. You can also find it on Facebook: YAS TN or its website: risehfl.org/yas.
