Sexual Assault Awareness Month at MOCSA in Kansas City: One Story Can Start a Movement

Every year during Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) in April, the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA) in Kansas City honors survivors, supporters, volunteers, service providers, and community advocates. MOCSA does this by recognizing their experiences, contributions, and efforts to end and prevent sexual assault and abuse. MOCSA’s mission is to improve the lives of those impacted by sexual abuse and assault and to prevent sexual violence in the Kansas City community. This year MOCSA’s theme for SAAM was “My moment. Our momentum.”

As part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), MOCSA launched the MOCSA StoryShare project to acknowledge the individual experiences inspiring growth and propelling the anti-violence movement. Storytellers shared personal moments in which they were moved to action, changed an idea or belief, or witnessed a cultural shift related to sexual violence. This project became a collection of stories from volunteers, clients, community members, students, staff, and others who have been inspired or impacted by MOCSA’s mission.

People can listen and read these stories on MOCSA’s website at https://www.mocsa.org/storyshare. Stories, with permission of the authors, were also shared by MOCSA via email and social media.

All of MOCSA’s public, in-person events for SAAM were cancelled due to public health precautions for COVID-19. MOCSA’s Annual Community Luncheon, which is usually held in May, was rescheduled and is now on Wednesday, October 14, 2020. Kristen M. Gibbons Feden will serve as the keynote speaker at the event. She is recognized from her role as the prosecutor for the trial and re-trial of Bill Cosby in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Details and tickets are available at https://www.mocsa.org/luncheon.

Newsletter (PDF)

This project was supported by Grant No. 2019-MU-AX-0021 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.