Seattle Council proclaims April Sexual Assault Awareness Month; advocates urge survivor protections in council processes

The Seattle City Council on April 7 read and adopted a proclamation declaring April Sexual Assault Awareness Month and recognized local survivor‑advocacy partners for their work supporting survivors and prevention efforts.

Council Member Rinck, chair of the Human Services, Labor and Economic Development Committee and sponsor of the proclamation, read the document into the record and described the city’s commitments to survivor‑centered services and public education. "We stand united to recognize the strength and resilience of survivors," Rinck said.

Speakers who accepted the proclamation included Emily, co‑chair of the Seattle Women’s Commission, Whitney and Amanda of the commission’s gender‑based violence subcommittee, Shell from the Human Services Department’s Safe and Thriving Communities division, Kate Garvey, chief executive officer of the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center, Diadra from the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, and Annmarie of the Coalition Ending Gender‑Based Violence.

Advocates used their speaking time to thank the council for the proclamation and to request concrete policy steps. Amanda asked the council to amend meeting rules to protect survivor confidentiality, including photo and video redaction and trauma‑informed participation options for people who wish to share lived experience without risking identification. "Safety must be built into our systems and reflected in our processes," she said.

Council members affixed signatures to the proclamation and paused for a group photo; no formal legislative change to council meeting rules was adopted at this meeting, though advocates said they would continue engagement with council staff on procedural reforms.

The council and sponsors emphasized continued investment in survivor services and community‑based programs providing crisis response, advocacy and legal supports.