Concho Valley CARES, the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Council for the Concho Valley, the Concho Valley Rape Crisis Center, the District Attorney’s Office, and other community partners would like to invite you to the Alcohol Awareness Month and Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month Proclamation this Thursday, April 2nd, 2015. This event will be held at the Tom Green County Courthouse at 12:00 p.m.

The Proclamation is a kickoff to the events that will be held throughout April to help the community to be mindful and observe the message of the month. It helps the community truly be aware and consider how both alcohol and sexual abuse affects the lives not only in our very own Concho Valley, but throughout the world. The events of the month are designed to educate San Angelo and the surrounding areas about alcohol abuse, sexual abuse, and taking steps to prevent it.

The Proclamation will include the following speakers:

Events: 
  • Community Meeting 'Solutions to Underage Drinking' - March 31st, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul Presbyterian Church. Panel will have local professionals, parents, and youths. They will focus on creating a healthier community for everyone. There will be activities for school aged children. FMI (325) 224 3481
  • CV-CARES Lunch & Learn 'Hidden in Plain Sight' - April 8th, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the ADACCV, 3553 Houston Harte. Help educate parents on possible signs of drug and alcohol abuse by teens.Walk through a typical teenager's bedroom and search for signs and indicators of drug and alcohol use with guided support and education resources.
  • Prescription Drug Take Back - April 18th, 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. at ADACCV, 3553 Houston Harte. More than 70% of people 12 and older who abuse prescription drugs say they got them from a friend or relative. Swing by and drop off any unused or expired prescription medications.
  • 2015 Prom Pledge Giveaway - Make a FREE online pledge this year to have a alcohol free prom, and you could WIN everything you need for a prom this year.

April is Alcohol Awareness Month, a time to learn about the health and social problems caused by excessive alcohol consumption. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) encourages the public to dedicate this month to understanding how excessive drinking can affect health, to evaluating their own drinking habits, and to discovering the latest developments in treatments for alcohol use disorders.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. Sexual violence is a serious public health problem that affects millions of women and men. According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men have experienced an attempted or completed sexual assault in their lifetime. Conservative estimates of sexual assault prevalence suggest that 25 percent of American women have experienced sexual assault, including rape. Approximately one-half of those cases involve alcohol consumption by the perpetrator, victim, or both.

Alcohol contributes to sexual assault through multiple pathways, often exacerbating existing risk factors. Beliefs about alcohol’s effects on sexual and aggressive behavior, stereotypes about drinking women, and alcohol’s effects on cognitive and motor skills contribute to alcohol-involved sexual assault.

For more information, please contact Paulette Schell, Prevention Director, at 325-224-3481.

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