Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Awareness Month at Radford University

October is Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Awareness Month at Radford University.  RU will be participating in three campaigns:

The Red Flag Campaign, “a public awareness campaign designed to address dating violence and promote the prevention of dating violence on college campuses.”

The International Purple Ribbon Campaign, which seeks to end all personal violence/support those who have been victimized. 

The White Ribbon Campaign, an international movement to educate men and boys; men who wear the white ribbon “Wearing a white ribbon is a personal pledge to never commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women and girls.”

Both White and Purple Ribbons will be available Monday, October 3 from 11:00am-2:00pm at the Bonnie Plaza.  We encourage you to pick one up and wear it all month.

Events and activities to promote awareness and, hopefully, action to end violence against women and girls include:

The improv show, Sex Signals, will take the stage on Wednesday October 5, 7:00 pm in the Bondurant Auditorium.  Part of New Student Programs’ Success Starts Here Lecture Series, Sex Signals aims to provide “a safe space to have a candid, positive conversation about the confusion and realities of dating, sex, and non-stranger rape.”

A Brown Bag Series, discussions sponsored by the Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley will continue throughout the month. Bring your lunch and join the conversation on October 6, 13, 20 and 27, from 12 – 1 pm, in the Bonnie Room 229.

The Clothesline Project will be displayed on October 19^th from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Bonnie Plaza. The Clothesline is “a vehicle for women affected by violence to express their emotions by decorating a shirt. They then hang the shirt on a clothesline to be viewed by others as testimony to the problem of violence.” Members of the Radford University community can add their anonymous testimony to a t-shirt by contacting the SAVES Office at 831-5709. 

The Silent Witness Program, will be take place at the Bonnie Plaza on October 20^th from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Silent Witness is a display of “free-standing, life-sized red wooden figures, each one bearing the name of a woman who once lived, worked, had neighbors, friends, family, children--whose life ended violently at the hands of a husband, ex-husband, partner, or acquaintance.” Sponsored by the Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley, Inc.

Dr. Kathleen Barry, author of Female Sexual Slavery, The Prostitution of Sexuality, and Susan B. Anthony: A Biography, will discuss her latest book Unmaking War/Remaking Men. Tuesday, October 25^th at 7:00 pm in The Bonnie room 249/250.  Dr. Barry’s visit is sponsored by CPC, Peace Studies, Sociology Club, and Women’s Studies Club.

On Wednesday, October 26^th, at 7:00pm in the Bonnie Auditorium, SAVES and Women’s Studies Club present a 20^th anniversary showing of the film Thelma & Louise, which was dubbed “the last great film about women” by The Atlantic in August 2011.

A round table discussion: Thelma & Louise: 20 years later will follow the film on Friday, October 28^th at noon in Heth Hall, Room 22.  Participants in the talk include Dr. Mary Atwell (Criminal Justice), Dr. Michele Ren (English/Women’s Studies), Ms. Sarah Kenney (Health Education), and Mr. John Leonard (Student Activities). The roundtable is sponsored by the Women’s Studies Club.

We hope you will join the SAVES office, CPC, SHAC Peer Educators, Sociology Club, the Peace Studies Program, Women’s Studies Club, New Student Programs, the Radford University Police Department and the Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley in educating yourselves and others about the problem of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence both locally and globally.