Friday, April 10, 2009
Hanging panties and boxer-briefs outside Fraser Hall is just one of the ways activist groups are getting students’ attention about Sexual Violence Awareness month. Throughout the month of April, the Commission on the Status of Women, The Emily Taylor Women’s Resource Center and GaDuGi Safecenter are hosting events to get the word out about sexual violence, and highlight resources available to students.
Tanner Wilbanks, Lawrence senior and sexual assault awareness coordinator for CSW, said that while the University and GaDuGi Safecenter had a multitude of material providing information about prevention and statistics, students weren’t as active as they should be.
Tim Maroney, Wichita junior, glances at a line of women's underwear strung between two trees on the lawn in front of Stauffer-Flint Hall Friday afternoon. The display was part of a project for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
breakbox
Sexual Violence Awareness Month April 2009 Schedule
The Pantyline Project April 27-30 on Jayhawk Blvd.
Jana Mackey Distinguished Lecture Series Featuring Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization of Women (NOW) April 15, 7:30 p.m. Dole Institute of Politics
Closeted Violence: “Sexual Assault in the Queer Community” April 21, 12:30-1:30 Big 12 Room, Kansas Union
breakbox
Summary of the Jeanne Cleary Act
— Institutions must publish an annual report disclosing campus security policies and three years worth of selected crime statistics. — Institutions must make timely warnings to the campus community about crimes that pose an ongoing threat to students and employees. — Each institution with a police or security department must have a public crime log. — The U.S. Department of Education centrally collects and disseminates the crime statistics. — Campus community sexual assault victims are assured of certain basic rights. — Institutions that fail to comply may be fined or lose eligibility to participate in federal student aid programs.
— securityoncampus.org
“The resources are there, I just don’t know if students are aware that they exist,” Wilbanks said.
Annie McKay, assistant director of the Emily Taylor Resource Center, said while sexual violence happened every day, students only paid attention when an assault or event launched the issue into the media.
“The challenge becomes garnering student interest the other 300 days of the year when it’s not on the front page of the paper,” McKay said.
Video
During sexual assault awareness month this April, the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center is hosting lectures and putting up booths and displays to let people know a network of help is available to victims of sexual assault.
McKay said one solution to the lack of continual awareness was flagging down students with eye-catching programs like the panty-line project, which allows students to write their opinions of sexual assault on underwear and paper cutouts of panties and hang them on a clothesline.
“When you see a clothesline full of underwear hanging ... you’ll probably stop and see what’s going on,” McKay said.
Other efforts to increase awareness included briefings during freshman orientation for both students and parents.
The University also takes part in awareness by publishing statistics on campus crime in accordance with the Jeanne Cleary Act.
The Cleary Act, formerly known as the Campus Safety Act, requires institutes of higher education to disclose information about campus crime and security policies. Because the act is tied to participation in federal financial aid programs it applies to most public and private universities.
Every year, schools have until Oct. 1 to publish a report that contains three years worth of campus crime statistics and the policies meant to deter crime on campus. The report also extends to public areas adjacent to campus. Reports of sexual violence is one of the statistics required to be included in the annual report.
Elise Higgins, Topeka junior and CSW president, said it was a great that the government implemented policies concerning student safety.
“Nothing is more important than student safety,” Higgins said.
Events this month include the Pantyline project, the Jana Mackey Distinguished Lecture Series and Closeted Violence. For more information, visit the Emily Taylor Resource Center Web site at http://www.etwrc.ku.edu/.
— — Edited by Sam Speer
Revealing sexual assault
Four student organizations at the University of Kansas helped increase awareness about ...
Events, groups raise assault awareness
Groups, such as One in Four, and events like “Can I Kiss ...
Editorial: Sexual Assault Awareness month offers reminder ...
Sexual violence isn't limited in scope or location, and it is still ...
Students learn self-defense tactics
TAKE program teaches protective skills for worst-case scenario attacks.
Violent crimes on the rise
Assault reiterates dorm safety importance
Students living on campus need to be aware of surroundings to ensure ...
In the aftermath
College-age women seek justice, peace and healing while coping with the pain ...
Pride Week plays up common topics
Students of Queers and Allies uses kissing, dancing, performing plays to draw ...
Care for rape victims inadequate, says DA
Short-staffed Lawrence Memorial Hospital is criticized by Branson for turning away victims ...
KU releases annual security report
Crime rates at the University have decreased by 34 percent in the ...
Center promotes sex and alcohol safety
Event held to educate students on how to increase personal safety while ...
Students warned to stay safe during spring ...
Because of multiple sexual assaults during school breaks, officials wants students to ...
Sexual assault awareness week moves to September
The Emily Taylor's Women's Resource Center will host sexual assault awareness events ...
Cosby: Culture reduces severity of sexual assault
Startling statistics require us to reevaluate how we think about sexual assault ...
Theft ranks high on Big 12 campus ...
See how KU compares to other Big 12 schools in annual crime ...
In the aftermath: Jessica's story
College-age women seek justice, peace and healing while coping with the pain ...
Editorial: We must stand tall
In the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy it is only a ...
Students speak out against sexual assault
The Women’s Resource Center hosts Sexual Assault Awareness Week.
Saha: Sexual assault is an issue that ...
Before awareness, we need to discuss the issues and their roots.
Editorial: ‘Peeping Tom’ incident reminds students to ...
Simply being aware and alert can make the difference between danger and ...
Softball player sues University
Bledowski: When 'love' crosses the line
April is Sexual Harassment Awareness Month, but the issue is relevant all ...
GaDuGi works to spread knowledge during Sexual ...
Douglas County's sole sexual assault service provider will be on campus to ...
Stuewe: Don’t blame entire gender
Men in the group One in Four travel to college campuses to ...
'Take Back the Night' educates students, women ...
Lawrence community members gathered last night for “Take Back the Night”, an ...
Programs serve traveling students
Free consultations, self-defense classes and “safe spring break” kits are offered to ...
Take Back the Night to promote awareness ...
Take Back the Night is a national event to educate the public ...
Cosby: Domestic violence most prevalent in college
Women who are 16-24 years old are more likely to be domestically ...
Switch your Skivvies
Make the change to sexier underwear and improve your mood.
Cosby: Don't ignore domestic violence issues
It's important to realize that sexual abuse is more common than we ...
Kansas Attorney General attends sexual abuse awareness ...
Attorney General Stephen Six promises continued support for sexual assault victims.
Student fees increase more than $35
In four years, student fees have increased 44 percent. They were $287 ...
Safe bar, happy bar
Some Lawrence bars have agreed to take measures to improve patron safety.
Editorial: Public safety web site invaluable tool ...
Be safe and keep yourself informed about crime on campus.
Student ghetto sees high crime rate
Police statistics show that more crimes happen in this area than in ...
Students should increase awareness of domestic abuse
Malicious Intimacy
Four students' experiences with domestic violence.
No new updates on break rapist
The last reported incident from the break rapist was in 2008.
Sexual health improves at KU
The report scored 139 universities on a variety of programs and recourses ...
Cosby: University needs to address gender equality
On this year's anniversary of the February Sister's occupation of Wescoe, improvements ...
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID