The Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) marked the 2023 Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), commemorated in April, by promoting a series of conversations and providing comprehensive information to community members about consent.

Throughout the month, the MAPS Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault team visited several community locations in Everett, Somerville, Lowell, and Framingham to engage with community members and reinforce the importance of informed and enthusiastic consent. During the meetings, community members were invited to take pictures with the team while displaying messages from the health and social services organization’s “Assim, Sim!” campaign.

“This updated campaign goes beyond the “No Means No” slogan previously used in relation to Sexual Assault because it expands the concept of consent to include the need for an enthusiastic “Yes” when it comes to sexual relationships, instead of just the absence of a “No”,” said Dulce Ferreira, MA, Director of the MAPS Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (DVSA) Program. “These conversations were an opportunity to not only raise awareness about sexual assault but also to create a safe space for community members to come forward and seek support.”

The health and social services organization also joined the Cambridge Sexual Assault Response Team’s “Start by Believing” media campaign and the Center for Hope and Healing “Take Back the Night” event in Lowell. 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. To learn more about the program, please visit maps-inc.org/cause/domestic-violence-sexual-assault-advocacy/.