DU Campus Life put on a series of events last week, including a rally and creative displays addressing the issue of sexual assault, as part of the national Sexual Assault Awareness Week (SAAW) at college campuses nationwide.
According to T-shirts displayed by SAAW activists on the Driscoll Green, one in four girls will be sexually assaulted by the time they are 18, and
one in six boys will be sexually assaulted by the same time. This display, called the
Clothesline Project, was one of several events the University of Denver implemented during Sexual Assault Awareness Week.
The objective of the week’s organized activities was to raise awareness on the subject of sexual assault in an effort to end sexual violence on campuses nationwide.
According to DU’s Student
Life sexual assault Web site, sexual assault is a generalized term used in reference
to any act of sex or unwanted sexual contact where the aggressor has not gained consent from the victim.
While there have been many accounts of sexual assault on college campuses, students are surprisingly unaware of its prevalence.
Timothy Harvey, a Greek Sexual Assault Advisory Board member from the Kappa Sigma Fraternity, agreed.
“It’s important to raise awareness about the prevalence of sexual
assault because it’s an issue that is not talked about enough, and that
many people are unaware of. By completing the Sexual Assault Awareness
Week we are taking steps in the right direction,” said Harvey.
In addition to the Clothesline Project, events of the Sexual Assault
Awareness Week included a Pledge Banner signing, a “What Constitutes
Rape?” discussion, an “Engendering Violence” discussion, a “Mace in Your
Face” discussion, and the annual “Take Back the Night” rally on Wednesday.
Activities like the Clothesline Project and the “Take Back the Night”
rally are national programs used to help prevent sexual violence and give hope to those who have been victims of sexual assault.B
The Clothesline Project allows women who have been adversely affected by an act of sexual assault to convey their emotions by anonymously decorating a shirt with words that express their sentiments.
The various decorated shirts were displayed in front of Sturm Hall.
The two-hour rally consisted of a guest speaker and a march around
campus. DU students and faculty sang motivational chants, such as “No
more violence, no more hate” and “Yes means yes and no means no” in
their combined advocacy against sexual assault.
Sexual Assault Response and Prevention Coordinator Lisa Ingarfield
helped organize SAAW.
“‘Take Back the Night’ is very empowering for individuals, in terms of bringing the community together. Everyone shares the same values and it is empowering to see that,” said Ingarfield.
DU has a zero-tolerance policy against sexual assault, and anyone who is
convicted of such a crime will be penalized to the fullest extent.
