DES MOINES, Iowa — April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and the color to unite those trying to raise this awareness is turquoise.
This month, the nonprofit organization Latinas Unidas Por Un Nuevo Amanecer (LUNA) placed turquoise silhouettes in areas frequented by the Latinx community to create awareness and encourage victims of this assault to speak out.
"Rompe el Silencio al Abuso Sexual, No te Calles, Cuentalo," Mary Cruz Chinchilla, the sexual assault program coordinator at L.U.N.A said.
Cruz Chinchilla said that's the title of the turquoise silhouette project and it translates to "Break the Silence to Sexual Assault, Don't Stay Silent, Speak Up."
Cruz Chinchilla, one of the creators of the project, said seven of the full-body cut-outs are in Des Moines, and the idea for this project came about after hearing too many of the same stories from sexual assault victims.
"I didn't come forward when I was young because of my parents saying 'Don't say anything, stay quiet,'" Cruz Chinchilla said when repeating some of the reasons why victims told her they never spoke up. "'Don't say anything, you know the abuser. Your dad, your uncle your cousin will get deported, will go to jail.'"
She also mentioned some of the other reasons Latinx victims may not speak out about what they experienced sometimes deals with a language barrier and not understanding laws and knowing they could be protected.
To make sure this changed, Cruz Chinchilla placed L.U.N.A's phone number on the silhouettes.
"If there's a survivor that walks into that store that they are able to either memorize that phone number or take a picture of that information and when they're ready to come forward, we'll be here to help them."
Joni Bowden-Fuentes, the domestic violence coordinator for the nonprofit, told Local 5 they are gearing this project towards everyone, which is why the silhouettes come in all genders.
"Men are perhaps more closeted by those perceptions of machismo and what men are within the community," Bowden-Fuentes said. "And the fact of the matter is a man is just as likely to be victimized."
Both women hope the silhouettes do help multiple people come forward and release the pain they may be carrying, but say they will be happy if only they only reach one person.
L.U.N.A. may help mostly Latinx people, but it is open to victims of all races or groups.
If you need to speak with the organization, their number is 515-271-5060.
If you or something you know are the victim of sexual assault and would like support, call the RAINN hotline at 800-656-4673 or visit RAINN.org.