Next week on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, men and women will have opportunities to stand up, speak out and join in the conversations and activities about sexual assault. SIUE will observe its 8th annual Sexual Assault Awareness Week from April 1-5.
“There is no excuse to ignore or joke about rape,” said Justin Allen, wellness coordinator at SIUE Counseling & Health Services. “There also is no excuse to blame the victim.”
Because sexual assault devastates victims and impacts communities, the SIUE Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Task Force and SIUE Counseling Services have organized a variety of programs and activities. The aim is to increase awareness within the campus community regarding sexual assault.
The Task Force also is promoting SIUE’s participation in the national campaign, Denim Day in the USA, on Wednesday, April 24. Denim Day is a sexual violence prevention and education campaign. People are asked to observe the day and make a social statement by wearing jeans as a sign to protest misconceptions about sexual assault. This is the first time SIUE will participate in the day. It was a major goal of Counseling Services Graduate Assistant Sydney Greenwalt to make that happen.
“The definition of sexual assault is any sexual interaction where you do not consent,” Allen said. “It’s hard to bring up the topic of sexual assault, but we have to talk about it. It’s important to take a stance against attitudes and beliefs. When you negatively characterize a person, it dehumanizes them. Everyone has a woman they care about, such as their mother, sister or friend, and wouldn’t want them to be treated badly.”
But that is also not to say that sexual assault does not occur to men, he said. “Men are assaulted and few report it.”
The following will occur during Sexual Assault Awareness Week:
- A Morris University Center Bookstore display from April 1-5 featuring stories about survivors of sexual assault and other empowering books.
- “Take Back the Night” event at 7 p.m. April 2. Participants will walk with a candle from the Vadalabene Center to the Morris University Center and then attend a poetry slam hosted by the student organization One Mic.
- “Clothesline” activity from 11 a.m.-1p.m. April 3 in Goshen Lounge. Participants can write empowering messages on T-shirts and pin them to a “clothesline.”
- Kickboxing for a Cause: Knocking Out Sexual Assault from 4:30-5:30 p.m. April 3 in the Student Activity Center in the Vadalabene Center. This event is a specially scheduled group fitness class being offered by Campus Recreation.
- “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” activity is scheduled for noon on April 4 on the quad. This event is targeted to men, who will be able to don high-heel shoes, provided by the Washington University St. Louis’ CORE, and walk across campus.
For more information about Denim Day in the USA, visit the national website at denimdayusa.org.