Twice this winter, Lawrence homeless people were beaten in random, violent attacks by adolescent males.

Now, two graduate students want to prevent more attacks from happening.

Shannon Williams and Jenn Holtaway, both master’s students in social work, have organized a demonstration to take place Saturday afternoon in South Park to raise awareness of violence against homeless people.

“We’re just trying to bring awareness that these attacks are happening, and that they’re happening in Lawrence,” Williams said.

Random attacks on homeless people have become more common nationwide. The attackers sometimes refer to the practice as “bum bashing.”

In 2006, 142 of these attacks were reported across the country, a 65 percent increase from the year before, said Michael Stoops, director of the National Coalition for the Homeless.

Some of those victims were raped, beaten with weapons or set on fire, and 20 of them were killed.

“That’s just disturbing to me,” Williams said. “That’s 20 individuals who died for no apparent reason except for (someone’s) joy and entertainment.”

For their demonstration, called “Bag the Violence,” Williams and Holtaway are collecting sleeping bags to represent each of the 142 victims of homeless violence last year, as well as the two Lawrence victims this winter. The demonstration will run from noon to 2:30 p.m.

They said they probably would not meet their goal of 144 bags and would need to represent each victim another way. They will accept sleeping bag donations through Saturday morning, and after the event, they will donate the bags to the Lawrence Community Shelter and the Salvation Army.

Williams and Holtaway have also traveled to area high schools and youth groups to educate youths about the issue.

“Most of the kids were shocked when we told them about it,” Holtaway said. “Most had not heard about it.”

Stoops said several factors could cause a group of young people to commit violent acts against homeless people.

“They go into group mentality mode, and they may be influenced by drugs and alcohol,” he said. “They think they won’t get caught.”

The attacking groups in both of Lawrence’s attacks this year escaped without getting caught. Neither of the attacking groups used weapons. Both attacks occurred during the day.

Loring Henderson, director of the Lawrence Community Shelter, said he thought the demonstration could help citizens know to be on the lookout for potential acts of violence.

“We need to be alert as a community to this,” Henderson said.

One Lawrence attack occurred near the Lawrence Public Library, while the other happened behind the buildings on the west side of Massachusetts Street’s 800 block. Henderson said one of the attacking groups used the words “bum bash” while attacking — a term used in a series of underground videos of attacks on homeless people.

Holtaway said she hoped the demonstration would also prompt more compassion for homeless people.

“People seem to be afraid of homeless people,” she said. “And homeless individuals might be just as afraid of other people.”

Kansan staff writer Matt Erickson can be contacted at merickson@kansan.com.

— Edited by Will McCullough