April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAM). Each year during SAAM, The Center works to raise awareness about sexual assault. It can happen to anyone.
This year’s national theme “Together We Act, United We Change” highlights the importance of working together to address and prevent sexual abuse, assault, and harassment. The Women’s Center of Jacksonville works to enhance public understanding of sexual violence, amplifying the voices of survivors, and empowering our community to work together to promote the safety and well-being of others. It’s all about raising awareness of sexual assault, debunking harmful myths, and supporting survivors.
As the only certified rape crises center for Duval, Nassau, and Baker counties, we need your help to keep our services free of charge for all survivors. Your donations towards any of our SAAM events in April will go directly to our rape recovery efforts!
CHECK OUT OUR 2025 WCJ SAAM EVENT LIST AND JOIN US! ALL PROCEEDS FROM OUR EVENTS HELP SURVIVORS HEAL.
Proclamations
Join the WCJ in Duval, Nassau, and Baker counties as we commit to ending sexual violence by increasing public awareness, educating communities about preventing sexual violence, and supporting the individuals and organizations who are at the frontline of helping primary survivors and their families. Proclamation serves as a clear declaration to join advocates and communities across the country in taking action to create change for the future.
Nassau County, March 24th at 5pm
Nassau County Board of County Commissioners (96135 Nassau Pl, Yulee, FL 32097)
Duval County, April 1st at 12pm
City Hall (117 W Duval St, Jacksonville, FL 32202)
Baker County, Date and time TBD
Baker County Board of County Commissioners (55 N 3rd St, MacClenny, FL 32063
Kickball Tournament, Saturday, April 5th, 9:00am to noon
Registration is now closed for our 10th Annual Kickball Tournament in support of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. You can still come out to cheer us on and/or donate to support your favorite team! The team who raises the most money will win the FAN FAVORITE trophy!
Location: Rondette Park (3500 Rondette Lake Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32277)
For More Information and to vote for your team favorite go to:
2025 WCJ Annual Kickball Tournament
Dodgeball Tournament, Saturday, April 12th, 9am to noon
Registration is now closed for our 1st Annual Dodgeball Tournament in support of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. You can still come out to cheer us on and/or donate to support your favorite team! The team who raises the most money will win the FAN FAVORITE trophy!
Location: Peck Center (516 S 10th St, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034)
For More Information and to vote for your team favorite go to:
Walk In My Shoes, Lauren’s Kids, Wednesday, April 23rd
Registration begins at 8:30am and Walk Starts at 9:30am
Senator Lauren Book will once again be walking through Northeast Florida on her Annual “Lauren’s Walk” journey for the prevention of child sexual abuse. The WCJ staff will be walking alongside her, starting at the Courthouse (501 W. Adams Street) @ 9:00 am with a stop at Publix San Marco (2039 Hendricks Ave) — with the opportunity to stop or continue walking to the Women’s Center at 5644 Colcord Avenue. An UBER code will be provided to cover the cost of a ride back to the starting location. There will be “Friendship Bracelet” making during Walk registration for the Women’s Center of Jacksonville! Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join.
Location: Duval County Courthouse (501 W Adams St., Jacksonville, FL 32202
For More Information and to register go to:
Walk In My Shoes 2025 – Jacksonville
Surviving to Thriving, April 25th, 6 to 9pm
Celebrate the voices of survivors at this special event during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Surviving to Thriving is an empowering evening providing survivors with a space and place to share their experiences through a creative lens. Enjoy amazing artwork, spoken word and song depicting journeys of healing. This is a FREE event. Food truck, Cash bar and lots of Socializing!
Location: Babs’Lab (603 King St, Jacksonville, FL 32204)
For More Information and to register go to:
Surviving to Thriving 2025 – Campaign
Book Spotlight (throughout the month of April)
The WCJ Book Spotlight during Sexual Assault Awareness Month, will raise awareness about sexual violence through the words of survivors, demonstrating the ways in which healing is possible. The book that we have chosen to spotlight is One of TIME and Oprah Daily‘s Most Anticipated Books of 2025 – Saving Five: A Memoir of Hope by Amanda Nguyen. A captivating story of her own healing journey is detailed in this moving memoir. In this book, Nguyen depicts how she
was able to find justice through activism which led to creating the Sexual Assault Bill of Rights Act of 2016, ensuring that others wouldn’t go through the painful and challenging legal process that she did.
The WCJ is partnering with six independent bookstores in Jacksonville to highlight survivor stories during the month of April. You can find the book at local bookstores listed below, click on the link below to buy the book, or donate to make a difference! All proceeds benefit sexual assault survivors!
San Marco Books and More
1971 San Marco Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32207
Femme Fire Books
2766 Park St #1, Jacksonville, FL 32205
The Literary Lounge
1080 Edgewood Ave S Suite #5, Jacksonville, FL 32205
Happy Medium Books Café
2724 Park St, Jacksonville, FL 32205
The Bookmark
220 First St, Neptune Beach, FL 32266
For More Information, to buy the book from your favorite bookstore, or donate, go to:
2025 SAAM Book Spotlight
Paint the Town Teal (throughout the month of April)
Paint the Town Teal in Baker County is back to
support Sexual Assault Awareness Month! If you are in the Baker County area, be sure to check out the different businesses with painted windows and teal bows.
To make a donation that helps survivors throughout the healing process and fund programs to prevent sexual assault, please click the donation box below.
Would you like more information?
Call the Development team at 904.722.3000 ext. 203
or email development@thewcj.org