The Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) is marking this year’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) in April with a series of conversations in the community and online about the importance of consent in sexual relationships.

On April 1, MAPS launched an online survey to assess the community’s understanding of consent and healthy relationships by examining how societal norms, religious beliefs, and cultural traditions shape our practices. Participants can anonymously share their insights and experiences throughout the month by visiting maps-inc.org/dvsa.

On April 11, at 8:30 pm, MAPS will participate in a live Facebook chat organized by the Brazilian Women’s Group about “Asking and Giving Consent: How Family Beliefs and Tradition Shape Our Relationships.” Community members interested in watching and participating may do so by visiting facebook.com/BrazilianWomensGroup.

The following day, from 4 to 6 pm, MAPS receives a group of Cabo Verdean women in its Dorchester Office (1 Stoughton Street) to share a traditional Cabo Verdean cuscus meal and engage in a discussion about consent and modern perspectives of cultural heritage.

To wrap up the month’s activities, the MAPS Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (DVSA) team will host an open discussion about consent and how it is viewed across different generations on April 26 at 5:30 pm at the health and social services organization’s Cambridge office on 1046 Cambridge St. The event aims to be a platform for multigenerational dialogue, fostering a deeper understanding of consent within the community.

“By promoting conversations about consent and what it means to be in a healthy relationship, we hope to challenge our communities to reflect on the concept and consider how it has evolved,” said Dulce Ferreira, MA, MAPS Director of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services. “It is vital that we keep reminding people of the need to ask for and give consent when it comes to sexual activities, even in the context of long-term relationships.”

Before April’s activities, the MAPS DVSA team delivered an impactful presentation about sexual assault on March 16 at the ABBA Church in Marlborough that led to an engaging discussion.

The MAPS Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program offers free, confidential, and personalized support, crisis intervention, safety planning, information, guided referrals, medical and legal advocacy, and related services to victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. The program is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA; VSS Grant), the Executive Office of Public Safety (VAWA Grant), the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (SASP/CSP Grant), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families. To learn more about the program, please visit maps-inc.org/dvsa.