SASMN

SASMN Sexual Assault Services (SASMN) is a non-profit organization serving Crow Wing County and surrounding areas. Anyone can be a victim of sexual assault.

We provide Free and Confidential 24/7 support services. Regardless of; age, race, gender, economic status, and lifestyle. No one deserves to be victimized. It's sexual assault if...

your date forced, manipulated or coerced you into unwanted sexual activity...

OR a stranger, or someone you know (a deliveryman, neighbor, a friend's relative, or friend) forced you into sexual contact...

OR someone

you work with has persisted in subjecting you to unwanted sexual attention (sexual remarks, leers, touching, grabbing, pressure to have sex)...

OR a family member, or someone who lived in your home, manipulated, tricked, or forced you into sexual contact...

OR as a child, a stranger, or someone you knew (a babysitter, family friend, teacher/coach, or camp counselor) manipulated, tricked or threatened you into sexual activity...

OR your therapist or clergy suggests having a sexual relationship with you...

OR someone shared a private picture of you in cyberspace. IT'S SEXUAL VIOLENCE, AND IT HURTS EVERYONE!

You are so much more than what has been done to you. 💜If you are a survivor of s*xual violence, there may have been mome...
06/01/2026

You are so much more than what has been done to you. 💜

If you are a survivor of s*xual violence, there may have been moments when the pain, fear, shame, or trauma felt so overwhelming that it seemed to overshadow everything else. You may have questioned your worth, your strength, or even your ability to move forward. But the truth remains:

You are so much more than what has been done to you.

You are more than the assault. More than the trauma. More than the memories that still surface when you least expect them. More than the hurt caused by someone else's choices.

You are the strength that carried you through your darkest days. You are the courage it took to keep going when getting out of bed felt impossible. You are the laughter that still finds its way into your life. You are the dreams you continue to hold onto. You are the love you give, the kindness you show, and the resilience that lives within you—even when you don't feel strong.

Sexual violence can take so much from a person, but it can never take away your value as a human being. It cannot erase your worth. It cannot diminish your right to be respected, supported, and loved. The harm that was done to you is not a reflection of who you are. It is a reflection of the person who chose to cause harm.

Your story is bigger than your trauma. Your future is bigger than your pain.

Healing is not a straight line. Some days will feel hopeful, and some days may feel incredibly difficult. There may be setbacks, tears, anger, grief, and uncertainty. But there can also be healing, growth, connection, peace, and joy. Every step you take—no matter how small—is a testament to your strength.

And if today is one of those hard days, remember this:

You are not alone.

There are people who believe you. People who care about you. People who will stand beside you without judgment and remind you that your voice matters!

Because you are, and always will be, so much more than what has been done to you. 💜

💜

What Does Consent Look Like?Consent is more than just the absence of "no"—it is the presence of a clear, voluntary, and ...
05/29/2026

What Does Consent Look Like?

Consent is more than just the absence of "no"—it is the presence of a clear, voluntary, and enthusiastic "yes."

There are several important aspects of consent:

✅ Freely Given Consent – A person agrees without pressure, threats, manipulation, guilt, or coercion.

✅ Informed Consent – A person understands what they are agreeing to and has all the information needed to make that decision.

✅ Enthusiastic Consent – Consent should be an active and willing "yes," not silence, hesitation, or uncertainty.

✅ Ongoing Consent – Consent is not a one-time event. It can be withdrawn at any time, even if someone previously agreed.

✅ Specific Consent – Agreeing to one activity does not mean agreeing to another. Consent for one thing is not consent for everything.

🚫 Consent is NOT:

Being pressured, manipulated, or threatened
Being too intoxicated or incapacitated to make a decision
Silence or lack of resistance
Assuming someone wants to participate because of a relationship, marriage, or previous s*xual activity

Everyone deserves to have their boundaries respected. Healthy relationships are built on communication, respect, and consent every step of the way.

Coercion Is Not ConsentConsent should be freely given, informed, enthusiastic, and ongoing. When someone is pressured, m...
05/29/2026

Coercion Is Not Consent

Consent should be freely given, informed, enthusiastic, and ongoing. When someone is pressured, manipulated, threatened, guilted, intimidated, or worn down into saying "yes," that is coercion—not consent.

Coercion can sound like:
🔹 "If you loved me, you would."
🔹 "Come on, don't be difficult."
🔹 Repeatedly asking after someone has already said no.
🔹 Using guilt, threats, power, or fear to get someone to agree.
🔹 Making someone feel obligated because of a relationship, gift, or favor.

A person has the right to say no at any time. They also have the right to change their mind, even if they previously said yes. True consent cannot exist when someone feels pressured or afraid of the consequences of refusing.

If you've experienced s*xual violence or are questioning an experience, support is available. You do not have to carry it alone.

💜 Sexual Assault Services is here to listen, support, and help.
📞 24/7 Crisis Line: 218-828-0494

Sexual assault is not just a survivor’s issue.It is everyone’s issue.It impacts our families, our schools, our workplace...
05/28/2026

Sexual assault is not just a survivor’s issue.

It is everyone’s issue.

It impacts our families, our schools, our workplaces, our friendships, and our communities. It changes lives in ways many people never see — through fear, anxiety, shame, isolation, trauma, and the long journey of healing that follows. Survivors walk among us every single day, often carrying invisible pain while trying to simply make it through another day.

Sexual violence does not happen because of clothing, choices, alcohol, relationships, or where someone was. It happens because someone chose to violate another person’s boundaries, safety, and humanity. The responsibility always belongs to the person who caused harm.

Ending s*xual violence takes all of us.
It means teaching consent early and often.
It means believing survivors when they come forward.
It means holding offenders accountable.
It means challenging harmful jokes, victim blaming, and the silence that allows abuse to continue.
It means creating spaces where survivors feel safe, supported, and heard without fear of judgment.

Too many survivors stay silent because they are afraid they will not be believed. Too many carry the weight of what happened alone. No one should have to suffer in silence. Every survivor deserves support, compassion, dignity, and the chance to heal at their own pace.

Awareness matters. Education matters. Compassion matters.
Your voice matters.

When communities come together to speak out against s*xual violence, support survivors, and advocate for change, we create hope. We create safety. We create a future where fewer people have to experience this pain.

Sexual assault is everyone’s issue because every person deserves to feel safe in their own body, in their relationships, and in their community.

If you or someone you know needs support, Sexual Assault Services is here for you 24/7. You are never alone. 💜

It’s okay to take time out of your busy life and focus on you. 💜Survivors are often carrying so much — responsibilities,...
05/28/2026

It’s okay to take time out of your busy life and focus on you. 💜

Survivors are often carrying so much — responsibilities, expectations, healing, memories, and the pressure to keep going even when they’re exhausted. But taking a moment to rest, breathe, and care for yourself is not selfish. It is necessary.

Healing does not happen by constantly pushing yourself past your limits. Sometimes healing looks like slowing down. Saying no. Taking a break. Sitting in silence. Going for a walk. Crying when you need to. Reconnecting with the parts of yourself that deserve love, patience, and peace.

You do not have to earn rest.
You do not have to justify your healing.
You matter too.

No matter where you are in your journey, please remember: your well-being is important, and you deserve care just as much as anyone else. 💙

Enough is enough.Enough silence.Enough victim blaming.Enough excuses.Enough violence.Sexual assault impacts people of ev...
05/27/2026

Enough is enough.

Enough silence.
Enough victim blaming.
Enough excuses.
Enough violence.

Sexual assault impacts people of every age, gender, background, and community — and far too many survivors carry their pain alone. We believe survivors. We support survivors. And we will continue fighting for a world where everyone feels safe, heard, and respected.

Healing takes courage. Speaking up takes courage. Reaching out takes courage. If you are a survivor, please know this: what happened to you was not your fault, and you deserve support, compassion, and healing.

Together, we can break the cycle by believing survivors, teaching consent, holding offenders accountable, and refusing to stay silent.

Enough is enough.
We stand with survivors today and every day. 💙

📞 Sexual Assault Services: 218-828-0494
🌐 sasmn.org

05/27/2026

Join us for Pints for a Purpose at Jack Pine Brewery from 4–8pm on Wednesday, June 3rd.

Enjoy an evening of community, live music from Third Wheel, and pizza available for purchase from Rosallini's, all while supporting Operation Sandwich. For every pint poured (NA included), $1 will be donated to help provide meals for local kids and families this summer.

Bring your friends and be part of something meaningful!🌞

You are not broken.Even if it feels like something inside you cracked and never quite went back together the same way. E...
05/26/2026

You are not broken.

Even if it feels like something inside you cracked and never quite went back together the same way. Even if there are days you don’t recognize yourself anymore. Even if you feel like you are carrying something invisible that no one else can see but you can feel in every breath.

What happened to you does not define you.

Sexual violence does not get to decide who you are. It does not get to take your worth, your softness, your strength, or your future. It does not get to turn you into something less than whole—no matter how much it tried to make you feel that way.

If your body remembers when your mind tries to forget, that is not weakness. If you freeze, shut down, overthink, or feel overwhelmed by things others seem to handle easily, that is not failure. Those are survival responses. Your mind and body did exactly what they needed to do to get you through something that was never yours to carry.

And still—you are here.

That matters more than words can fully hold.

You are not “too damaged” to heal. You are not “too far gone” to come back to yourself. You are not too late to be believed, to be supported, to be cared for in a way that feels safe.

What happened to you was not your fault. Not in any part of it. Not then. Not now. Not ever.

The shame belongs only to the person who caused harm—not to you for surviving it.

You may not feel strong right now, but surviving is strength. Breathing through the hard days is strength. Showing up in your life, even quietly, even exhausted, is strength.

You are still you. Not what happened to you.

And you do not have to carry this alone anymore.

On this Memorial Day, Sexual Assault Services pauses with deep gratitude and reflection to honor the men and women who g...
05/25/2026

On this Memorial Day, Sexual Assault Services pauses with deep gratitude and reflection to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.

Today is more than a day off or a long weekend—it is a solemn reminder that our freedoms exist because of extraordinary sacrifice. We remember those who answered the call to serve and never returned home. We honor their courage, their commitment, and the love they carried for their families, their communities, and this nation. Their absence is deeply felt, and their legacy continues to shape the world we live in.

We hold in our hearts the families who carry the weight of that sacrifice every single day. No words can fully ease the grief of losing someone who served, but we hope they feel seen, supported, and deeply appreciated—not just today, but always. Your strength and resilience are part of the fabric of this country’s story.

At SAS, we also recognize that service and sacrifice take many forms. We are reminded that bravery is not only found on the battlefield, but also in those who continue to serve, who show up for others, and who work toward healing and safety in their communities.

To every service member, past and present—thank you. To every life lost in service—your memory matters, your sacrifice is not forgotten, and your legacy lives on in the freedoms we hold close.

From all of us at Sexual Assault Services, we extend our deepest gratitude, respect, and remembrance this Memorial Day.

In observance of Memorial Day, our office will be closed as we pause to honor and remember the brave men and women who g...
05/25/2026

In observance of Memorial Day, our office will be closed as we pause to honor and remember the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. This day is a time for reflection, gratitude, and remembrance of the sacrifices made for freedom and safety.

Even though our doors will be closed, please know this: you are never without support.

Trauma, healing, and the need for someone to talk to do not follow a holiday schedule. Whether today feels heavy, quiet, overwhelming, or just like another day you are trying to get through, we want you to know that we are still here for you.

Our services remain available 24/7. If you need someone to listen, believe you, or help you take the next step, you can reach our crisis line at 218-828-0494.

You do not have to carry everything alone. Not today, not on a holiday, not ever.

We remember those who were lost, we hold space for those who are healing, and we stand with survivors—always.

Address

606 NW 5th Street , Suite B
Brainerd, MN
56401

Telephone

+12188280494

Website

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