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“WTS” (What’s up?)
“NADA” (Nothing)
“YOLO” (You only live once)
The above text exchange is an example of the use of abbreviations and acronyms. They are everywhere: social media, gaming forums, emailing, and texting. They’re shortcuts. The above example of texting might be between your son and his friend while they are playing a game on the computer. On a gaming forum, one might see “ARPG” which means “Action Role Playing Game” and “FGC” which means “Fighting Game Community.” When playing a game online, players can talk with each other in chat sessions with abbreviations and acronyms: “AFK” means “Away From Keyboard, “GG” means “Good Game,” “LFG” means “Looking For Group.”
To certain generations, mostly younger, abbreviations and acronyms are a natural way to communicate; to others it can be downright confusing and frustrating. The “SA” term can have multiple meanings and range from serious to casual.
What Does SA Mean in Online Conversations?
You may be thinking: “What does SA mean?” Two common internet uses of “SA” are “sexual assault” and “sibling alert.” For example, perhaps you receive a text from a friend: “I experienced SA in a rideshare and had to call 911!” You may initially be confused as “SA” can also mean “social anxiety,” “San Antonio,” or even “Salvation Army.” It is important to realize that context is everything in online conversations. In the example above, “SA” would certainly not refer to the Salvation Army because of the context of the text. If you received an email from a friend: “I went to the SA Thrift Store in Dallas and got a lot of bargains” — “SA” is obviously referring to the Salvation Army in Dallas.
“SA” also means “sibling alert” and is usually used in gaming conversations. It signals to the other gamer that someone might overhear something you want to remain private.
SA as Sexual Assault
Unfortunately, sexual assault of women is prevalent in society, and the statistics are alarming. In fact, The National Sexual Resource Center (NSVRC) also reports that one in three female victims of completed or attempted non-consensual sex experienced it for the first time between the ages of 11 and 17. RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization and states that “young women are especially at risk.”
There are a myriad of articles, blogs, and educational material about the subject of sexual assault. The acronym “SA” appears frequently in online spaces as a form of shorthand to subtly discuss this difficult and sensitive subject.
Always remember: Sexual assault can involve anything from workplace verbal harassment to full-on assault. The bottom line is ANY UNWANTED SEXUAL ADVANCE = ASSAULT. Assault is never your fault; it is the fault of the assailant. If your employer, coach, camp counselor, doctor, or any authority figure, makes you feel uncomfortable in a sexual away, it was not right and could be worthy of a sexual assault lawsuit.
SA as Sibling Alert
People who are gaming online, use acronyms and abbreviations while conversing in gaming chats or private online conversations. In this context, it means “Sibling Alert”, “SA” being a shorthand signal that someone (a brother, a sister, a parent) is nearby and may overhear the conversation, prompting discretion.
Other Less Common Meanings of SA
There are other, less common meanings of the acronym “SA.” Of course, if you lived in San Antonio or South Africa, you would be familiar with the acronym “SA.” Your brother could be the System Administrator at his job. The Salvation Army is one of the largest social service providers in the United States. While the acronym “SA” is totally valid for the above uses, they are less common in the online/social context of this article.
How to Tell What SA Means in Context
Although it can be confusing, it is really not difficult to decipher which “SA” meaning is intended when you come across “SA” while reading online. If you are reading a blog or an article or conversing with a friend by email or text about a serious matter such as sexual violence, and the acronym “SA” comes up, you can be confident that acronym means “sexual assault.”
If your teenage son is playing a game on the computer and he uses the acronym “SA,” he more than likely means “Sibling Alert” which means someone walked in his room and he wants to alert the other gamer to proceed with discretion about what he says. An online article or report about vacationing in San Antonio or South Africa could use “SA” referring to those destinations. Also, you should consider the tone of the article and the platform it is on to determine the context in which “SA” is used.
Why Understanding Acronyms Like SA Matter
You might think, “I don’t want to have to go back to school to learn the right acronyms to use!” You don’t have to. Just remember that clarity is important when reading or using acronyms online and that an acronym — like “SA” — can have multiple meanings. (“SA” also means “Sibling Alert” in the gaming community.) Being aware of multiple meanings helps avoid misunderstandings.
Sexual assault is a sensitive subject. Many have been harmed by a coach who touched them to help them “limber up” or their masseuse who “accidentally” let his fingers knead too closely to their genitals or their doctor performed unwarranted breast and pelvic exams without medical justification. Sexual assault is never okay or permissible. After such an unwarranted and uncomfortable experience, you want to find online discussions about sexual assault. The acronym “SA” may come up as you are reading so it is important to understand the meaning and the context in which it is used.
If you have been sexually assaulted you may file a lawsuit against them — but don’t know where to start — A Case for Women was founded just for you. A women-owned organization, ACFW was founded in 2015, and offers understanding, compassion, and a safe place for women to speak up and tell their story, be educated about lawsuits, and empowered to go forward — and potentially win a monetary settlement! A Case for Women CARES and, importantly, the lawyers it works with are already passionate about sexual assault even before he or she connects with the client (the person harmed).
Perhaps you have been assaulted and are thinking you would like to file a lawsuit. Lawsuits can serve an important role in ending the culture of sexual assault.
Resources for Survivors (when SA = Sexual Assault)
If a survivor of sexual assault needs clarity about their situation and wants legal options, there are resources to go to for information and assistance. ACFW has helped thousands of women and men take the next step towards healing and rebuilding their lives through legal action.
Coming forward with a serious allegation like sexual abuse can be daunting and take a toll on a person’s health. As the survivor searches for support for sexual assault survivors, she may come across the acronym “SA” in discussions. Therefore, it is important for her to understand that acronyms can have multiple meanings but that “SA” in the results of her searches means sexual assault.
As survivors move forward and take advantage of the available resources, they move from victim to survivor. And A Case for Women knows what it is to SURVIVE and has devoted itself to empowering sexual assault survivors to take legal action.
Taking advantage of the reputable, informative, and helpful resources can give the survivor of sexual assault — or even someone doing research — much needed support.
As you can see, the acronym “SA” can mean very different things online; and it is important to consider the context the setting before making assumptions when you see “SA” in serious issues like “sexual assault” and in casual and lighthearted issues in gaming and personal conversation, like and “sibling alert.”
Survivors of sexual assault or their loved ones are encouraged to reach out to any of the resources listed above or to A Case for Women for assistance concerning confusion acronyms and interpreting context.
