In recognition of Sexual Violence Awareness Month in April, the Pennsylvania Courts recently launched a new digital ad campaign to inform the public about the resources available for survivors who seek the courts’ assistance.
Sexual violence involves any forced or manipulated sexual activity without consent. Nationally, one in five women and one in 71 men will experience sexual assault, with one in four girls and one in six boys assaulted before age 18.1
The Protection of Victims of Sexual Violence or Intimidation Act, enacted in 2015, provides a civil remedy for survivors who may not qualify for a Protection from Abuse Order (PFA).
Specifically, survivors may seek a special type of protection order called a Sexual Violence Protection Order (SVPO) to guard against further abuse, even if no criminal charges have been filed. Unlike a PFA, an SVPO doesn’t require an intimate or household relationship with the abuser.
To increase awareness about this form of protection, the AOPC developed a targeted ad campaign that ran on Google and social media about SVPOs that links to a new E-Learning page where survivors can gather helpful safety information.
Original source can be found here.