Sexual Assault Awareness Month at MU seeks to educate
The events include a 5K run/walk, a concert and Denim Day.
Published April 13, 2010
Approximately one year ago, President Barack Obama declared April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. In honor of SAAM, organizations from the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center are sponsoring events to raise awareness of sexual assault and sexual violence.
"Sexual violence is any unwanted sexual contact, generally by the use of coercion," RSVP Center co-coordinator Danica Pape said.
Pape said the purpose of SAAM is to raise awareness on an underreported issue.
"It's really not talked about and it's underreported, but the fact of the matter is it's happening," Pape said. "It happens to about one in four women in their college career."
RSVP peer educators are a group of trained students working to educate the MU campus and the Columbia community about sexual violence.
The RSVP peer educators are sponsoring and volunteering for Denim Day by providing information at a table April 22 at Lowry Mall.
Denim Day is a day in remembrance of the Italian Supreme Court's decision in 1998 to overturn a rape conviction because the victim was wearing jeans. The court's rationale was the victim must have helped her assailant remove them. Denim Day encourages MU students and faculty to wear jeans as a form of protest to this decision.
"We need volunteers, of course, and food and drink donations," RSVP Center co-coordinator Kim Scates said.
The RSVP Center is also sponsoring MU alumna Colleen McDevitt as she presents her documentary, "I'm a Survivor of Rape." The MU students and graduates followed in the documentary discuss their experience with sexual assault and its effect on their lives.
Afterward, the women in the film will be present to discuss these topics with audience members. "I'm a Survivor of Rape" will be shown at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Memorial Union.
On April 29 at the Underground Café, Stronger Together Against Relationship and Sexual Violence is sponsoring Rock Against Rape. STAR is a student-run organization that plans campus and community events to raise awareness about relationship and sexual violence.
"Rock Against Rape is basically a big party to raise money for the Shelter and the L.E.A.D. Institute," Pape said.
Rock Against Rape will feature several local bands.
Donations made at the concert benefit the Shelter for Victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and the L.E.A.D. Institute.
The Shelter provides counseling, information, referral services, hospital advocacy and legal advocacy to those who have been sexually assaulted, Executive Director of the Shelter Barbara Hodges said.
Another event benefiting the Shelter is the Tiger Trot on April 18. The Tiger Trot is a 5K Soccer Run/Walk at Memorial Stadium. Prizes and T-shirts will be given to participants.
The Panhellenic Association is sponsoring Walk in Her Shoes, which will also assist the Shelter. On May 1, MU men will walk a mile around Stankowski Field in high-heeled shoes.
"With these activities, we want to educate the community to become more aware of what sexual assault is and how to prevent it," Hodges said.
April 20 is National Day of Action and is part of the "Be the Messenger" campaign. The Shelter encourages conversation with one person about sexual assault.
"Be the messenger, and just tell one person about sexual assault," Hodges said. "Tell people what can we do to prevent it, and make the community safer."