Stop Sexual Harassment and Assault in K12 Schools

Stop Sexual Assault in Schools (SSAIS) is a unique national nonprofit dedicated to ending the negative effects of sexual harassment and assault on students’ education and well-being. Researchers have shown—and students know all too well—that millions of youth suffer peer and school employee sexual harassment and misconduct on any given day.

SSAIS provides free resources to families, schools, and community organizations, and to students through its empowering SASH Club project—Students Against Sexual Harassment. SSAIS advocates for change through the media, working with lawmakers, journalists, researchers, or students and families calling for help.

Your support is crucial to keep students safe, both on and off campus, and to ensure that schools are upholding students’ rights. With your contribution we can continue our work so every student, regardless of gender or background, can learn and grow in an environment free from fear and harm.

What We Do

Stop Sexual Assault in Schools (SSAIS) is an all-volunteer national organization created in 2015 by parent-educators who experienced first-hand the devastating impact of sexual assault and institutional failure at their daughter’s school. We know too well how these offenses can destroy lives. Our goal is to turn the tide for students nationwide so they can enjoy the educational opportunities they deserve, free from an environment of sexual harassment and assault, and stay safe off campus too.

Raising awareness nationwide. Our work has been cited in respected parent publications, education journals, television and radio programs, and in over 200 reports in national and regional media outlets such as the New York Times, Washington Post, U.S. News, Associated Press, Christian Science Monitor, Politico, and CNN. Our #MeTooK12 campaign has had impressive impact and reach.

Creating innovative resources for schools and families. SSAIS resources, including this blog and webinar, are featured in The American Federation of Teachers Share My Lesson library. Our website offers factsheets, toolkits, videos, practical information on sexual harassment and assault, legal options, reporting, survivor support, guidance on how to advocate for change in schools and communities, and much more, all completely free.

Supporting families in crisis. We help families file complaints, extend direct support, and provide resources and referrals at no cost.

Encouraging youth and survivor advocates. We offer students opportunities to turn their negative experiences to positive good, engage in peer education through our SASH Club project, develop their future careers through internships and community service, and publish articles in national outlets.

“Not only has my SASH Club become an essential part of my school community, but it’s also been crucial to healing from my own assault. Creating our SASH Club has given me a purpose that fuels my passion to prevent youth sexual violence. I could not be more grateful for the opportunities presented to me through SASH Club.”—Mailey McAlpin, high school senior, Brandon, MS

Promoting systemic change. We advocate for national and local reforms to protect K-12 students from sexual harassment and assault. We support legislative initiatives to improve school climate and responses and partner with researchers to determine the types of resources schools and students most need to stay safe.

None of what we have accomplished or what we envision for our future would be possible without our volunteers and donors like you.

We Need Your Support To:

Promote and Expand SASH Club. SASH Club (Students Against Sexual Harassment) is our transformative peer-education project that empowers youth to prevent and address sexual harassment and assault in their personal lives, schools, and communities. SASH Club provides youth with free resources to build safer, more respectful school environments.

Design, produce, and distribute new videos, fact sheets, and toolkits, all freely available. Students, parents, schools, and youth-serving organizations benefit from our resources on critical topics such as: hazing, educator sexual abuse, digital harms, creating a safe school climate, best practices for Title IX, school partnerships with community-based sexual response centers, supporting LGBTQ students, students of color, and students with disabilities.

Build an effective social media presence. Our resources have the power to help many more students and families, but first we need to reach them. Help us multiply our impact through social media by enabling us to engage a part-time content developer.

Learn more about what your donation buys.

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About our work

“Finding Stop Sexual Assault in Schools website was a blessing for us and our granddaughter, who was a victim of sexual assault, and then victimized again by a school that discounted her need to feel safe. This empowered her to come forward and to climb out of the darkness, to begin again. Thank you, SSAIS, you will never know how much it has meant to our family not to feel alone. Sexual assault and harassment among students in K-12 settings is a nationwide problem; please visit the SSAIS website and open your eyes. The stories and information listed on the website may save someone you love.”

—Leslie and Jerry Hawker, Farmersburg, IN

“Girls Learn International (a project of The Feminist Majority Foundation) makes SASH Club resources available to youth in over 150 chapters because its unique peer education is a critically important way of empowering young people to understand consent and healthy relationships better. As a SASH partner, we know the positive impact SASH Clubs make in the lives of students, families, and communities.”

—Ashley Steimer-King, Senior Program Director, Girls Learn International

“Being a part of SASH Club has been one of the most formative and gratifying experiences of my life. SASH Club has allowed me to use my skills and passion to work other people who are passionate about sexual violence advocacy and has allowed me to educate people in a way I could never have done alone. Working with SASH Club has been one of the greatest privileges I’ve ever had. I will forever be grateful for the opportunities and community I have gained through SASH Club.”

—Jocelyn Cho, high school senior, WA.