BROWN COUNTY (NBC 26) — Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin’s Sexual Assault Center is partnering with multiple agencies, including Wise Women Gathering Place and the We All Rise: African American Resource Center, to encourage the community to "Paint the Town Teal" for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
The "Paint the Town Teal" campaign involves painting teal ribbons on the front of businesses and lighting up buildings and landmarks with the color teal, a symbol of sexual assault awareness. The annual campaign is aimed at showing solidarity with survivors and raising awareness about sexual assault prevention resources.
The ribbons also serve as a reminder of the prevalence of sexual assault. The Wisconsin Department of Human Services indicates 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men in the state have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime.
“We’re hoping our survivors in the community see that their community supports them, believes them, and wants them to seek the support and help that they might need," said Jamie Craig, the Sexual Assault Center program manager.
Courthouses in Brown, Door, Oconto, and Marinette Counties will each display a 3-foot tall wooden teal ribbon in their front lawns.
Over 30 local businesses will also display teal ribbons in their windows, including over 20 local taverns that are part of the area Tavern League. The taverns will display the ribbons and have information posted and available on where individuals can go for help if they have been a victim of sexual assault.
“We have flyers with resources available to them in the community so that when victims are in the bathroom of a bar or a local business that is participating in Paint the Town Teal, they can see the resources that are available," said Lacey Barchacky, a legal advocate with Wise Women Gathering Place.
You can learn more about the campaign on the Sexual Assault Center's Facebook page.
