RSVP Center hosts four panelists to speak on legalities of sexual violence cases
Panelists discussed barriers to reporting and how people can prevent sexual violence.
Panelists discussed barriers to reporting and how people can prevent sexual violence.
Prevention Coordinator Chris Walters: “We are actually the birthplace, the creator of this idea. We’re really excited that it at least had a little start here.”
RSVP staffer Marlee Ellison: “Denim Day is a huge global thing now, which is really powerful.”
Vagina Monologues participant Clarissa Hughes: “If you see me now, I’m a superwoman, but back then I was very naive to what it meant to be a feminist.”
RSVP Center coordinator Christopher Walters: “We can make an impact in stopping violence.”
According to the National Center for Victims of Crime, 7.5 million people are stalked in one year in the US.
The RSVP will host a lunch discussion on Jan. 27 and a presentation called Stalking and Social Media on Jan. 28.
MU plans to host a nationwide event with other schools who participate in the Green Dot program next year.
The Clothesline Project started in Massachusetts in 1990 and has now spread to 41 states and five countries.
In addition to their previous event Rock Against Rape, the RSVP Center will host more events, such as Take Back the Night and the Vagina Monologues.
The documentary highlights the failures of colleges to address sexual assault; MU hopes to be the exception.
“If folks are surprised at the definition of consent, then we have a problem,” Scates said.
The center wanted to use multiple art forms to share their message of zero-tolerance for violence.
With increasing Title IX funding, the RSVP Center needed more space to accommodate their three new staff members.
“I think this could be a national model,” Scroggs said. “Within a year, they’re going to be saying ‘Let’s do things like the University of Missouri.’ That’s our goal. We intend to be the national model.”
The event encouraged survivors to share their experiences.
Denim Day was started in California in April 1999.
Forty-six percent of conference attendees admitted being victims of some form of violence.
RSVP has been raising awareness through posts on their Facebook and Twitter accounts.