April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Child Abuse Prevention Month.
This month the spotlight shines on these serious and difficult-to-talk-about issues. Bringing them to the surface opens our eyes to their prevalence and offers survivors a healing space to have their voices and stories heard.
Sexual Assault Awareness
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center has designated this year’s theme as “Building Connected Communities”. It reminds us that we are all interconnected, and our actions impact one another. It is incumbent upon all of us to ensure our communities are safe, inclusive, and equitable. The more connected and informed we are the more we can reduce the likelihood of sexual abuse, assault, and harassment in our communities.
Mosaic Georgia is committed to Building Connected Communities by providing education and training to various community organizations as well as residents — creating a better understanding of the sexual violence issue, lifting the stigma, and mitigating harm.
Child Abuse Prevention
Prevent Child Abuse America’s theme of “Building A Hopeful Future, Together” puts a focus on creating a nurturing and supportive environment for children and families across the nation as a form of prevention. As a Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC), Mosaic Georgia offers a neutral, safe space to provide services for youth who may have experienced abuse. The month of April shines a light on prevention of child abuse, which is always the goal. We work with adult caregivers, teachers and child centered organizations to spread knowledge on being good stewards of children. Our partnerships help plant the seeds for the growth of safe and healthy communities for our children and young people.
Make an April donation to help support our mission.
Our dedicated Outreach Team has several events and activities planned throughout April to help illuminate the issues of sexual and child abuse.
Pinwheels for Prevention 
Mosaic Georgia is planting Pinwheel Gardens in various childcare centers throughout Gwinnett County during the month of April. This national campaign, Pinwheels for Prevention, was started 15 years ago to raise awareness of child abuse and prevention. The shiny blue pinwheels are a symbol to remind us that all children deserve a bright future and that we each play a role in creating safer communities for them. If you see one of our bright, colorful pinwheel gardens around town, snap a photo, share it on your social media, and tag @MosaicGeorgia to help spread the word.
You can also help us raise money to combat child and sexual abuse by planting your very own pinwheel in our Virtual Pinwheel Garden!
Denim Day- A Day of Action: April 24th
The Mosaic Georgia team will be wearing jeans in solidarity with survivors on this day of action to combat victim blaming and educate others about sexual violence.
Denim Day stems from a case in Italy in 1998 when an imprisoned rapist’s conviction was overturned on an appeal that stated the sex was consensual because the young woman was wearing tight jeans that could have only been taken off with her help. Italian women showed up to work the next day in jeans to protest the unjust decision. This day of awareness occurs on the last Wednesday of Sexual Assault Awareness month each April.
The Clothesline Project
Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center: April 1st – 26th
Georgia Gwinnett College, Student Center Lounge: April 1st-29th
The Clothesline Project will be displayed at both The Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center and at the Georgia Gwinnett College Student Center Lounge. It features t-shirts with short messages created by survivors of sexual assault, child abuse, and domestic violence. Various colors represent the different forms of abuse and are hung along the clothesline to honor the victims themselves and others affected by abuse. The array of t-shirts on the clothesline brings a visual awareness to the issue and educates the community about what goes on in their own neighborhoods. This project originally started in 1990 in Cape Cod to highlight interpersonal violence.
What Were You Wearing
Georgia Gwinnett College, Kaufman Library: April 1st – 12th
This powerful art display depicts the clothing survivors were wearing when they were assaulted and helps to dispel a victim-blaming myth that certain types of clothing somehow invite a sexual assault. Mosaic Georgia’s What Were You Wearing exhibit will be in the Georgia Gwinnett College library from April 1st–12th. A poem by survivor Mary Simmerling inspired the first exhibition at the University of Arkansas in 2014.
Caring and Courageous Conversation
Mosaic Georgia Facebook Live Event: April 30th from 7pm-8pm
Tune in to hear a survivors’ story and their powerful testimony of healing firsthand from Mosaic’s own, Lanie George. Can’t make it? Don’t worry, the video will also be recorded for viewing at a later time!