“After I was raped, I felt unable to talk about what had happened to me. People don’t like to acknowledge the darkness in humanity and the terror often caused by it. I wanted to talk about it but I felt compelled to protect others from any fears triggered in imagining my experience. It was the shame and denial of others projected onto me that caused my silence, not my own feelings. When a friend is injured, people generally show concern and inquire how they are healing. I discovered many people can’t even acknowledge the ‘injury’ has occurred when someone is raped. When I met another woman who had had a similar experience of violence, I felt liberated being able to speak to her honestly; knowing we understood one another. We could talk without filters and this is where my healing began."

Jane Piper, SAAV Founder & Director

Our Mission

SAAV is committed to uniting survivors of sexual assault and providing them with the necessary tools to support one another through the healing process of integrating the experience of violence into their lives. Using art and all forms of creative expression, SAAV will empower survivors to shed shame and secrecy, unifying a new community that speaks out to raise awareness of violence. The SAAV Community will work to educate society on the issues surrounding rape, and serve in an advisory capacity to those in the media and entertainment industry.

“The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence, you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder the hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate. So it goes. Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already void of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”

-Martin Luther King Jr.

SAAV is aproject of Community Partners, a non-profit charity
exempt from federal tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Contributions are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Please write to info@contactsaav.org if you would like to get involved or make a donation.