Our 42 Hours event ended at 12 noon on Thursday, April 4. The final steps were walked by a brave young survivor named Kara, who traveled from Orlando to walk with us in celebration of her strong-aversary — the day when she found the courage to use her voice to get help and become safe. Thank you to all who walked with us and to those who supported from afar.
42 Hours for the 42 Million
The month of April is nationally recognized as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) and Child Abuse Prevention Month. Throughout the years, Lauren’s Kids has honored this national month of significance through donation drives for child advocacy and sexual assault treatment centers and awareness-raising activities including our ‘Walk in My Shoes’ journey across Florida, the broadcast of our “Intimate Crimes” television program, and the Walk in My Shoes display at the Florida Capitol (below). This year, we’re bringing a new awareness campaign to the Capitol building.
For 42 straight hours during April 2nd – 4th, advocates, legislators, state leaders, survivors, and community members will walk on a treadmill in the Florida Capitol in honor of the 42 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse living in the United States today. The “42 Hours” display will raise awareness of sexual assault, give voice to this issue and to survivors, and help educate the public so that we may better prevent and address sexual assault.
Registration for 42 Hours is now full.
Watch us live beginning 4/2 at 11: 45 a.m. at Facebook.com/LaurensKids, come by the Florida Capitol to watch in person, and check out ways to participate from home.
A Look Back: Walk in My Shoes at the Florida Capitol
In 2017 and 2018, we invited lawmakers and Floridians statewide to walk in the shoes of those affected by sexual violence through the ‘Walk in My Shoes’ display at the Florida Capitol.
One out of every 6 women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime, and about 3 percent of men have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetimes. or attempted or completed rape in their lifetimes. On average, there are 321,500 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault each year in the United States.
We know that 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 5 boys will become a victim of sexual abuse before their 18th birthday, and 45 percent of these victims will not disclose abuse for 5 or more years. There are 42 million survivors of child sexual abuse living in the U.S. today.
Survivors of sexual abuse face lifelong consequences including mental health issues, substance abuse, PTSD, lost wages and more. While this information is grim, 95% of sexual abuse IS preventable through education and awareness.
