Bolder Way Forward for Utah

About
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Start By Believing Utah is a statewide public awareness initiative within the Sexual Assault Spoke of A Bolder Way Forward (BWF), partnering with the national Start By Believing (SBB) campaign developed by End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI). In 2015, Governor Gary Herbert’s office released a proclamation designating Utah as a Start By Believing state, which was sponsored by Representative Angela Romero. This proclamation also established an official "Start By Believing Day", which is now observed nationwide on April 2nd. Utah's commitment to fostering a culture of belief, support, and healing for survivors across the state was reaffirmed in 2025, when Start By Believing Utah was launched at the Utah Capitol Rotunda.

This three-year campaign is led by Dr. Julie Valentine, a forensic nurse and professor at the University of Utah, alongside Sherry Huang, a PhD student in the University of Utah College of Nursing focused on sexual and gender-based violence. Visit the resources below to learn how Utah can foster a culture of belief and support to ensure that survivors in Utah feel heard, supported, and empowered to seek resources for healing. Individuals, organizations, and communities can also take specific actions to help. To get engaged, email Sherry Huang with the Start By Believing Utah Campaign. 

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Resources
Affiliated BWF Spokes:
 BWF Resources:
 SBB Resources:

What You Can Do

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Take the Start by Believing Pledge to join the movement and support survivors. Encourage others to share their commitment as well.

 

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Educate yourself about the importance of believing and supporting sexual assault survivors by checking out Utah’s Start by Believing campaign, including the Start by Believing video. Share what you learn with others.

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Launch a Start by Believing campaign in your neighborhood, community, organization using the campaign toolkit. Let us know about your campaign!