If you’ve seen April 24 pop up on social media and wondered whether it’s a real holiday, you’re not alone. A baseless rumor has been circulating for years, but the actual date has nothing to do with the dark TikTok claim attached to it.

Annual date: April 24 ·
Day of year: 114th (115th in leap years) ·
Days remaining in year: 251 ·
Misinformation label (TikTok): Unsubstantiated “National Rape Day” ·
Official recognition: None ·
Month designation: Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month

Quick snapshot

1Calendar Fact
2Hoax Status
3Official Observances
4Historical Events

Six key facts about April 24, one pattern: none of the verified information supports the TikTok rumor.

Here are the core verified statistics for April 24.

Label Value
Date April 24
Day rank 114th (leap year 115th)
Official holiday status None
Major misinformation topic Claimed “National Rape Day” (false)
Month context Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month

What is the latest verified information about what is April 24th?

What official sources say about April 24th

  • April 24 is not a recognized holiday — official sources from the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) (US government agency) confirm no federal holiday designation for this date.
  • The “National Rape Day” trend is baseless — Newsweek (news publication) reported that TikTok said it had not found evidence of videos related to the alleged day and would remove content violating its policies.
  • April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month — the DLA (US government agency) confirms this month-long designation, which has no specific date focus on April 24.

Current status of the TikTok hoax

  • The rumor has been described as “zombie misinformation” by The Jakarta Post (Indonesian newspaper), resurfacing multiple times since 2021.
  • A TikTok spokesperson told WJLA (local US news station) the platform had not found evidence of videos related to the claim and would remove violating content.
  • Rape Crisis (UK charity) said TikTok believed the trend began as a hoax and that no evidence had been found of the original video threatening a day of sexual violence.

The implication: official sources and major fact-checking outlets consistently find no evidence for the April 24 claim, yet the rumor continues to circulate each year around this date.

Why this matters

Social media users searching for April 24 will mostly encounter hoax content, not verified calendar facts. Without authoritative articles like this one, the misinformation gap grows each April.

What should readers know first about what is April 24th?

Basic calendar facts

  • April 24 is the 114th day of the year — Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry) lists this as a standard calendar date with no special designation.
  • No official government designation as a holiday — Parade (lifestyle publication) states April 24 is not a recognized holiday.
  • Misinformation circulates on TikTok — Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) (think tank) reported the hoax first went viral on TikTok in March 2021.

Common misconceptions

  • The claim that April 24 is “National Rape Day” has been thoroughly debunked — Newcastle Safeguarding (UK local authority) stated there was no evidence pointing to a rise in the threat of sexual assault on April 24.
  • Some believe the rumor started with a specific video — Parade (lifestyle publication) cited a USA Today report that the rumor may trace back to a video allegedly created by six men in April 2021, but this has not been confirmed.
  • The hoax has spread internationally — Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) (think tank) reported it spread in at least four countries and three languages.

The catch: the rumor persists because its origin is murky, making it harder to fully extinguish with a single fact-check.

What to watch

Advocates: the hoax causes real harm to survivors of sexual violence by trivializing the issue, as Newsweek (news publication) reported in 2021.

Which official sources confirm key claims about what is April 24th?

Wikipedia entry for April 24

  • Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry) lists April 24 as a regular calendar date with historical events, births, and deaths.
  • Notable events on this date include: the Library of Congress was established in 1800, and the Easter Rising began in Ireland in 1916.
  • No mention of any holiday designation exists on the Wikipedia page.

DLA Sexual Assault Awareness Month page

  • The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) (US government agency) confirms April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month in the United States.
  • No official events or recognitions are listed specifically for April 24.
  • The page focuses on month-long awareness efforts, not a single date.

National Day Calendar listing

  • The Parade (lifestyle publication) report notes no official holiday on April 24.
  • April 24 is simply a regular day on the calendar without any federal or widely recognized designation.
  • This aligns with Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry) which also lists no holiday status.

What this means: all Tier 1 and Tier 2 sources agree — April 24 has no official holiday status, and the TikTok claim is entirely unsubstantiated.

What is still unclear or unverified about what is April 24th?

Origin of the TikTok rumor

Why April 24 specifically was targeted

  • No verified explanation exists — Newcastle Safeguarding (UK local authority) suggested the trend could likely be traced back to a video created by six men in April 2021, but this remains unconfirmed.
  • WJLA (local US news station) reported that calls for action rose after the claim circulated, but authorities have not commented on why April 24 was chosen.
  • The random selection of a date with no prior significance is typical of viral hoaxes, where novelty drives engagement rather than any meaningful connection.

The pattern: the lack of a clear origin is itself a key finding — it shows the rumor is manufactured, not rooted in any real event or announcement.

The paradox

The hoax’s staying power comes from its vagueness. Without a specific creator or video to debunk, each new wave of shares starts fresh, and fact-checkers must repeat the same message: no evidence exists.

What are the most common user questions on what is April 24th?

Is April 24th a real holiday?

  • No — Parade (lifestyle publication) confirms April 24 is not a recognized holiday.
  • Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry) lists no holiday designation for this date.
  • The DLA (US government agency) confirms no specific April 24 observance exists within Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

What is the TikTok trend about April 24th?

  • The trend falsely claims April 24 is “National Rape Day” — Newsweek (news publication) reported it as a hoax that invites users to commit acts of sexual violence.
  • The Jakarta Post (Indonesian newspaper) called it “zombie misinformation” because it keeps resurfacing despite repeated debunking.
  • Rape Crisis (UK charity) said the trend was harmful and baseless.

Are there any official observances?

  • Only the month-long Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, confirmed by DLA (US government agency).
  • No specific April 24 events are recognized by any government or official body.
  • Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry) lists historical events on April 24 but none are designated as holidays or awareness days.

The trade-off: answering these common questions directly helps close the gap between what users search for and what reliable sources actually say — but it requires constant repetition because the hoax is cyclical.

“If you’ve seen posts online claiming that April 24 is ‘National Rape Day’ and that women should stay home or that men have a legal right to commit assault, rest assured: none of this is real.”

— Parade (lifestyle publication), fact-check report

“TikTok has not found evidence of videos related to the alleged ‘National Rape Day’ and will remove any content that violates its policies.”

— TikTok spokesperson, quoted by WJLA (local US news station), 2021

Timeline of the April 24 hoax

  • 2010 (earliest reference): Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) (think tank) found references to a similar rumor in X data, suggesting a pre-TikTok origin.
  • March 2021: Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) (think tank) reported the hoax first went viral on TikTok.
  • April 2021: Newcastle Safeguarding (UK local authority) issued warnings about the trend and debunked the claim.
  • April 2021: Newsweek (news publication) published a fact-check and opinion pieces on the hoax’s harm to survivors.
  • April 2023: The Jakarta Post (Indonesian newspaper) reported the hoax had resurfaced, calling it “zombie misinformation.”
  • April 23, 2025: Yahoo (news platform) published an article debunking the trend ahead of the date.

What’s confirmed vs. what’s unclear about April 24

Confirmed facts

  • April 24 is the 114th day of the year — Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry)
  • April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month — DLA (US government agency)
  • No official holiday exists on April 24 — Parade (lifestyle publication)
  • TikTok found no evidence of the alleged videos — Newsweek (news publication)
  • The hoax spread across at least four countries — Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) (think tank)

What’s unclear

  • Origin of the “National Rape Day” hoax — unknown, per Rape Crisis (UK charity)
  • Why April 24 specifically was targeted — no verified explanation exists
  • Whether the trend will repeat in future years — Parade (lifestyle publication) notes it has already resurfaced multiple times

“The rumor appears to have originated from a TikTok video created by six men in April 2021, though this has never been independently verified.”

— Newcastle Safeguarding (UK local authority), safeguarding guidance

The consequence for readers: next time you see April 24 trending, you know exactly what it is — a baseless rumor with no official backing, on a date that is simply the 114th day of the year. For social media users, the choice is clear: share the verified facts, or let the hoax keep cycling through another April.

A separate article on the April 24 TikTok hoax provides additional verification of the hoax’s origins.

Frequently asked questions

Is April 24th a real holiday?

No. April 24th is not a recognized holiday in any country. Official sources like Parade (lifestyle publication) and Wikipedia (encyclopedia entry) confirm it has no holiday designation.

What is the TikTok trend about April 24th?

The trend falsely claims April 24 is “National Rape Day.” Newsweek (news publication) and Rape Crisis (UK charity) have debunked this as a baseless hoax with no evidence behind it.

Why is April 24th called National Rape Day?

It isn’t. The label is part of a hoax that began circulating on TikTok in 2021. Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) (think tank) reported no evidence of any legitimate origin for the term.

Did any government declare April 24th a holiday?

No government has declared April 24 a holiday. The DLA (US government agency) confirms only April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, with no specific date emphasis.

What official events happen on April 24th?

No official events are tied to April 24 as a date. Historical events like the founding of the Library of Congress (1800) and the Easter Rising (1916) occurred on this date, but no modern observances exist.

How did the April 24th hoax start?

The exact origin is unknown. Newcastle Safeguarding (UK local authority) suggested it may trace back to a 2021 video by six men, but this has not been confirmed. Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) (think tank) found references as early as 2010.

Is there any truth to the April 24th TikTok claims?

No. Multiple fact-checking organizations and official sources have confirmed the claim is baseless. Newcastle Safeguarding (UK local authority) stated there is no evidence of an increased threat on April 24.