Chi Kappa Rho’s first ever SASS Walk on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 12 p.m. was well-attended as members of the University of New Haven came out to raise awareness for sexual assault and demonstrate campus wide support for the victims and survivors of sexual assault.

Many people were in attendance at the first SASS Walk. SASS stands for Sexual Assault Survivors and Supporters, and this walk is the first of its kind at UNH.

Sexual assault is an ever too common crime that truly impacts its victim’s lives in the most devastating of ways. “In the United States, one in five women and one in 71 men have been severely sexually assaulted in their lifetime,” according to the Center for Disease Control website, under the Division of Violence Prevention. The CDC website has statistics related to the subject that state that it is a critically important issue to discuss on college campuses, and UNH students were clearly in support of the cause as they walked around holding handmade signs with statistics and supportive messages.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Alpha Sigma Kappa, Kappa Gamma Rho, Phi Sigma Sigma, and Alpha Phi Omega were just some of the large groups who contributed to the huge turnout of students. Statistically, most instances of sexual assault involve alcohol.

The walk began and ended at the German Club Pavilion and students wore various ribbons, bracelets, t-shirts, and other apparel to convey their status as supporters and survivors. WNHU had a DJ to energize the students, and the Wellness Peer Educators held a table with support materials. Phi Sigma Sigma hosted a table where both survivors and supporters were encouraged to make t-shirts.

After the walk, there was a speak-out, where anyone who felt comfortable could share their story with the crowd.

Resources on and around campus for students who may have experienced sexual assault are the UNH Counseling & Psychological Services (203.932.7332) and the College Advocate and Rape Crisis Center of Milford have a  24/7 Hotline (203.878.1212).