Trees like these shown above are being decorated by volunteers from the Marquette Women’s Center around the Marquette County Courthouse with ribbons because April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. (Journal photo by Randy Crouch)

MARQUETTE — Teal ribbons are adorning trees throughout the grounds of the Marquette County Courthouse in Marquette to acknowledge April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

The Marquette Women’s Center organized the display at the courthouse as a way to spread awareness about sexual assault and to honor survivors, their families and friends.

The courthouse display is one of several in the area. There are also ribbons displayed at the Michigan State Police post in Negaunee, the Negaunee City Police station, along Ishpeming’s Main Street and Peter Nordeen Park in Gwinn.

“It’s an awareness campaign that we do every year. We want to raise awareness for sexual assault by bringing awareness to the community,” said Heather Clarke, sexual assault response team coordinator at the Marquette Women’s Center. “This is something that is happening in our community, it’s not just something that happens in larger cities.”

The Marquette Women’s Center has several events planned this month, with Tuesday set as Teal Day. Teal can be worn during April as a way to honor and support victims of sexual assault.

On Wednesday, the Marquette Women’s Center will host a skill-builder event related to the topic at Northern Michigan University. The event will feature discussions about the legal process surrounding sexual assault cases, and how prosecutors, law enforcement officers and victim advocates work together. The event starts at 6:15 p.m. in Jamrich Hall room 1322.

A full list of this month’s events can be found on the Women’s Center website at www.wcmqt.org.

The website also offers a list of resources for victims of sexual assault, as well as their family and friends.

For anyone who is in need of help, the Women’s Center’s 24/7 crisis line can be reached at 906-226-6611 or 1-800-455-6611.

Randy Crouch can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. His email address is rcrouch@miningjournal.net.