SAY SO! 2008

This year's theme was A Celebration of Healing and Recovery. For the past four years, survivors of sexual assault, their supporters, and volunteers from the local rape crisis community have gathered to generate awareness and give sexual violence a face and a voice via SAY SO!. Your attendance at SAY SO! 2008 helped further this tradition of New Yorkers uniting to end the silence around sexual assault.

SAY SO! Manhattan

On May 18th, the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault held its fifth annual SAY SO! event in Union Square from 12-10pm.

This all-day, outdoor event was a festival of awareness set up to provide resources and information regarding the specialized, confidential, and free sexual assault treatment, healing, and recovery services in New York City.

[See photos from SAY SO! 2008 Manhttan]

SAY SO! Staten Island

On July 31st, the first annual SAY SO! event was held on Staten Island.

SAY SO! mobillized attendees to create change through various experiential activities, performances, speakers, and speak outs.

[See photos from SAY SO! 2008 Staten Island]

About SAY SO! 2008:

Sexual violence exists on a spectrum of violations and can be found in numerous sectors of all of our lives. In the event's efforts to understand and celebrate the recovery process, SAY SO! was also be a reminder of two truths often ignored by society:

1. 72% of sexual assaults are committed by someone whom the victim knows (RAINN);
2. Our culture condones the silencing of sexual assault victims and survivors.

Even if we have not been assaulted or think we do not know anyone who has been, sexual assault is having a detrimental effect on our lives. The fear and threat of sexual violence affects us all as women, men, mothers, fathers, daughters, sisters, brothers and friends. The silence imposed on survivors is like any truth that is suppressed. The point of awareness is to pay attention through critical thought, unity, and action!

Buy SAY SO! 2008 Posters and T-Shirts

Read the special issue of The Torch

Download the flyer or program from SAY SO! 2008 Staten Island.