April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Okay, so I know that I am a little behind in my posts, but I have two weeks left of classes and I am entering into one of my busiest weeks where all the major papers are due.  But, I am bored reading my last book for my Visions class so I thought I would take a moment to catch up on my blog.  There will be 2 others to follow which are formed in my head, and pictures downloaded onto my computer, now I just need the time to type it into blog-formation for all of you out there in California, whom I am missing more than ever at this moment. :D

So, April is sexual assault awareness month, and for those of you that I sent that AWESOME email about how Obama made it official, you know, and for those that don't: it is, and it was a busy month for those involved with sexual assault 

awareness and education.  On my campus I am involved in the sexual assault awareness board which is apart of the student life commitee, and during the month of april we did tons of stuff!  

Our first project was to orchestrate a SLC Service Day in which I created the flyers to post around campus.  During the Vagina Monologues back in Feburary we managed to raise over $500 dollars to make "comfort kits" for Victim

 Assistance Services (VAS) the organization I currently volunteer for as a Helpline respondant.  Comfort Kits are provided to victim/survivors once they have been taken to the hospital for a foresnic rape exam by a special nuse.  Their clothes are usually taken for evidence, and thus these victim/survivors would generally have to leave the hospital in a hospital gown, talk a

bout re-victimizing! So, comfort kits provide clothing, underwear, brushes, tooth 

paste, tooth brushes, mouth wash, soap, and lotion (if we have the funds that is).  VAS usually has about 150 victims a year, and about 50 kits, so we raised the money to donate about 140 all together kits to them.  Our service day was an opportunity for SLC student to go to VAS, assemble the kits, then learn about their organization and sexual and domestic abuse.  If was a fun day: we were able to assemble the kits in 15 minutes, then had a yummy lunch, which included an introduction to VAS, rape, sexual harassment, and domestic abuse.  All in all it was a nice way to spend a saturday morning and afternoon. 

Next was Take Back The Night and the clothesline project.  Take Back The Night is about not being afraid for women to go out at night, and it is a way to bring awareness about the rates of violence on women.  Breaking the silence, joining together in a safe space to talk about experienes and bring awareness to perpetrators that we will not be afraid to go outside at night.  The whole event began early in the afternoon with the Clothesline Project and a tabeling event.  The Clothesline Project is when victims of abuse create art on t-shirts; either by displaying their own stories or, words of advice, anger, injustice, hope, or confusion in their experiences with violence and abuse 

It began as a way for women to "air their dirty laundry" and break the silence that blankets domestic and sexual abuse.   We hung the shirts around the main dorm areas of the campus.  Our table was equip with information about Take Back The Night, information on sexual assualt and domestic abuse. We also had information from Planned Parenthood, condoms, lube, stickers, and information about safe sex.  It was fabulous.  The interesting aspect of it was the students response.  

We didnt have much attention from the students, and most thought that the shirts were there to be purchased, which was the first time I have come across that notion.  The students that did come up and ask question were able to form part of the dialogue that comes with breaking the silence about these abuses, and we passed out some fact sheets, so that alone makes it worth it.  The Take Back The Night portion began at 8pm when we tried to create a fire in the bbq pit on campus. Firemarshall "bob" as he is lovingly called came and attempted to start the fire, to which he replied,

"well, girls, I am real good at putting out fires, but not so good at starting them..."  hmmm.....So we all worked together to light that sucker up, to no avail.

With our candles intact, and the wind threatening to end that nights festivities, we prevailed.  There were only 8-10 of us, but we walked in silence all around the main grass area, and had a candlelight vigil and open "mic" ending to the experience.  All in all, it was very nice, and students came to share their stories, or experiences, or the silence that were not on the commitee so that made the night worth it.  One girl even created a shirt, which was beautiful! 

And now I am in May, the festivities are over, and I must get back to my homework.... But I am coming home June 1-14th, so I hope I will be able to see many friendly faces when I am back in California.