On Thursday, September 21, campuses across the country recognized RAINN Day, an annual day of action to raise awareness and educate students about sexual violence. This grassroots program is designed to help college students educate their peers about risk reduction and recovery resources on campus. 

This year, students and administrators came together to host speakers, hold fundraisers, and stand in solidarity against sexual violence. There is no one-size-fits-all RAINN Day—RAINN encourages campuses to decide what kind of events will best engage their students and campus community. This year’s activities included a panel discussion held by University of Wisconsin's Women's Center and a sexual assault prevention trivia event at Purdue University Northwest.

"It's so important to make ending sexual violence a priority on campus. RAINN Day is a great opportunity to start—and continue—the conversation,” said Jodi Omear, RAINN’s vice president of communications. “Every year I'm inspired by the number of students and administrators who come together to show they care about making real change." 

After over a decade of celebrating RAINN Day in September, RAINN is excited to announce that RAINN Day 2018 will take place in April to coincide with Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Moving RAINN Day to April will allow campuses to build off of existing on-campus activities and events during Sexual Assault Awareness Month and coordinate their efforts with organizations nationwide. 

RAINN Day is a great opportunity for campuses to raise awareness and be proactive in sexual assault prevention. However, RAINN Day is not only for college campuses—it can be adapted for any community or organization. If you want to educate your community about campus sexual assault, you can register to host a RAINN Day event.