(RALEIGH) – Governor Josh Stein proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month to support survivors and spread awareness. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, approximately 81% of women and 43% of men experience sexual assault and/or harassment in their lifetime.
North Carolinians are encouraged to join others around the country on April 1 by wearing teal and sharing supportive content across social media using #WearTealDay and #SAAM2025.
"This month we recognize the survivors of sexual assault in our state," said Governor Josh Stein. "Last year we cleared the backlog of older sexual assault kits in our state, but there is more work to be done. That is why I have called on the General Assembly to fund a sexual assault cold case unit – because it is never too late to hold a perpetrator accountable or get justice for a victim of this heinous crime."
“Nobody should be subjected to such horrific acts, so the fact that four out of five women and nearly half of men in this country experience sexual assault or harassment at some point in their lives should raise alarm bells for all of us,” said North Carolina Department of Administration’s Secretary Gabriel J. Esparza. “We must continue to educate communities on the importance of consent and to be aware of the signs of sexual abuse.”
Sexual violence is any unwanted physical or verbal advance including sexual activity, abuse, harassment, and assault. During the 2023-24 fiscal year, more than 8,500 people in North Carolina sought intervention services from a CFWYI-funded rape crisis center following an experience of sexual violence. This number includes 1,577 children under the age of 18 and more than 27,400 crisis calls and chats. Only 4% of victims reported being assaulted by a stranger.
The NC Department of Administration’s Council for Women and Youth Involvement (CFWYI) helps to combat such issues, funding sexual assault programs in 96 counties in our state. These programs offer counseling, 24-hour crisis lines, transportation, and court and advocacy services.
Governor Stein prioritized clearing the backlog of untested rape kits across the state while serving as Attorney General. This month, Governor Stein’s budget proposal called for creating a cold case unit of investigators to solve sexual assault cases.
If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual violence, please seek help. Resources are available to support sexual assault survivors including a directory of state-funded sexual assault agencies on the NC Council for Women and Youth Involvement website.