Kudos are in order to the ASUO Women’s Center for its valiant efforts to raise awareness about sexual assault on campus. Although the recent rally on March 5 was underpopulated, partially because of bad weather and midterms, it was a good step toward getting anti-assault messages out loud and clear. Perhaps the message was a little too loud for some ears.
Admittedly, the women are preaching to the choir — most of the people involved in the fight against sexual assault are well aware of its existence. But the Women’s Center is not only launching its assault awareness efforts toward its own constituents. With a new program called the Sexual Wellness Advocacy Team, groups like fraternities, sororities and residence hall residents will be targeted with messages about healthy ways to prevent sexual violence.
The SWAT team will be composed of eight students, and the group will make multimedia presentations to potential perpetrators and victims of sexual violence. Although the effort may not solve altogether the overlying social issue of what some call “rape culture,” it is a good first step at reaching out toward students who may otherwise feel excluded by boisterous demonstrations and rallies.
Another commendable step the Women’s Center is taking to harbor a safe environment on campus is their Sexual Assault Communication Board, which is a poster board located outside their office. The board will feature reports from the Department of Public Safety on any assaults or attacks, a “word is” section where anonymous postings concerning known attacks or rapes on campus can be placed without questions, and general support services information and information on other Women’s
Center events.
Although reaching potential sexual offenders may be a difficult task, at least the Women’s Center is taking steps to help both men and women educate themselves on the issue. The SWAT team and the communication board will combat sexual assault by educating people on the ramifications of attacks and get people thinking about the issue. Sexual assault is a complicated problem without any easy answers, and we should all work together to
find solutions.