April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and Tri-County Safe Harbor (TCSH) will offer educational and healing events for survivors and those who want to support them.

Each year, Sexual Assault Awareness Month is a time to honor the strength, bravery, resilience, and healing of survivors while also helping others understand the pervasiveness and seriousness of sexual assault.

This year, Pregnancy Services of Delta County, 2501 1st Ave. N., will host a free educational session presented by TCSH advocates and a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner from OSF St. Francis Hospital at 10 a.m. April 23.

The session is open to the public, so anyone wanting to learn more about how to help sexual assault survivors, how to recognize these types of crimes, and how to find support or seek justice is welcome to attend and bring any questions.

In addition, TCSH will host a free “Shame in Flames” event at 6:30 p.m. April 25 on the corner outside of the TCSH administrative office in the Ludington Centre, 1100 Ludington St.

Commonly, sexual assault survivors — both children and adults — feel overwhelming burdens of undeserved shame that can harm them in many ways, while the perpetrators frequently do not feel shame or remorse.

Others often make survivors feel worse by victim blaming, implying or stating that victims somehow are responsible for the crimes committed against them, when in fact the perpetrators are the only ones at fault. Victim blaming can cause survivors to feel additional shame.

After some discussion of these issues, survivors will be invited to release shame by writing down, on paper to be provided, one or more things they feel undeserved shame for and then placing these papers into a fire.

Survivors are welcome to share what they wrote, since sharing can help others heal, but no one will be required to share.

Light refreshments will be provided afterward, during a time for informal fellowship.

Survivors of domestic violence and stalking are welcome to participate, as they often experience these same struggles.

Attendees also can view Sexual Assault Awareness Month t-shirts, locally created at TCSH’s April 8 art night. The shirts will be on display throughout April at TCSH’s administrative office.

TCSH serves victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking in Delta, Menominee, and Schoolcraft counties. Reach an advocate 24/7 by calling the TCSH helpline at (906) 789-1166.