Police departments promote sexual assault awareness
Denim Day and self-defense classes raise sexual assault awareness.
Published April 17, 2009
In lieu of President Barack Obama's declaration of April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Columbia Police Department and the MU Police Department will to aid the movement to create awareness.
MUPD Capt. Brian Weimer said Obama's declaration doesn't affect the department's already high priority of preventing sexual assault.
"We just don't wait for a month to come along to do these things," Weimer said.
He said MUPD offers a self-defense program for women called Rape Aggression Defense.
"It is a comprehensive course," Weimer said. "It allows you to participate in hands-on defense."
MUPD's Web site states the class is only for women and lasts 12 hours. It provides women with a manual, offers self-defense techniques and ends with simulations training.
"You get to practice what you learn," Weimer said.
Weimer also said MUPD works with the Women's Center and the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center.
CPD Detective Jeff Westbrook said there are not very many sexual assault cases in Columbia.
"We get about 80 domestic violence cases a month between my partner and I," Westbrook said. "We get one or two a month that is sexual assault."
Both MU and Columbia are holding a number of events to educate students and the community, CPD Officer Jesse Haden said.
The Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center will host a talk about ending violence at 7 p.m. April 21 in Jesse Auditorium. The MU Textile and Apparel Management department will also hold an event to commemorate Denim Day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 23 on Lowry Mall.
Denim Day was started as a form of protest of a 1992 rape case in Italy in which a driving instructor was convicted of raping his 18-year-old. The Italian Supreme Court judge overturned the case and the man was released. The judge said the rape was consensual sex because the victim wore tight jeans and would have had to help remove them.
Stephens College is also holding a Denim Day event April 23. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to wear jeans.
"It's an opportunity to bring awareness about sexual assault and rape and to encourage students, faculty and staff at our institution about what they can do and what resources we have available if they are in those type of situations," Stephens' student services coordinator Amanda Roberts said.
Haden will also be speaking at Stephens College on Denim Day.
These events are great in helping create awareness, Westbrook said.
"I think it's fantastic," he said. "Anything that will bring more awareness to this problem in the community, it's very valuable."
