Huntingdon Hold a Campus Rally at Alabama State University to Support s*xual Assault Victims (3789 hits)
WHEN: Thursday (April 5), starting at 10:45 a.m. WHERE: ASU Equinox, located on the Academic Mall (the grassy area off North University Dr.), concludes @ ASU Amphitheater.
April is s*xual Assault Awareness Month and to show its solidarity in support of s*xual assault victims, Alabama State University will lead a community walk titled “Walk A Mile In My Shoes” on Thursday (April 5). Following the campus rally (at noon), a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing, which spells out how s*xual assault cases will be battled by ASU and its new MOU partners, will be executed.
The Walk takes place at 11 a.m., but participants are asked to lineup at the ASU Equinox, located on the Academic Mall (the green area off North University) at 10:45 a.m. to march to the Amphitheater (located at the J. Garrick Hardy Student Center) for the s*xual assault rally.
The Walk’s goal is to show support for victims/survivors of s*xual assault and to inform and educate the community about the topic. The event encourages gender shoe swapping as participants walk for those who have been victims/survivors of s*xual assault.
“ASU Violence Against Wo(men) Program (VAWP) appreciates walkers no matter what their shoe choice is for the event,” said Cheryl Lang, director of VAWP. “Wear, bring a pair or just walk.”
Event activities include a “Speak Out,” where survivors are given the opportunity to break their silence.
The event also includes food, a one-act skit, an antis*xual violence slogan contest, self-defense demonstrations, HIV and HCG testing and vendors (Alabama Coalition Against Rape, Standing Together Against Rape (STAR), Family Sunshine Center, Wells Fargo, Regions, First Choice, Air National Guard ANG, AIDS Organization of Birmingham and Life On Wheels).
AN MOU TO FIGHT s*xUAL ASSAULT To broaden the University’s impact on how to combat s*xual assault on campuses and within the community, ASU will sign an MOU to partner with the Montgomery Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Troy State University, Huntingdon College and Alabama State University Violence Against Wo(men).The partners will collectively be called “the collaboration.”
Under the agreement, “the collaboration” aims "to serve and protect" s*xual assault victims (both women and men) by providing them with qualified and compassionate services.
“The event, including the MOU, is to raise awareness about campus assaults and demonstrate to students that law enforcement and Institutions of Higher Ed do not want students to suffer in silence or feel that they have no place to go for support, service or justice,” said Lang. “We know that violence thrives where there is silence. We urge students who see something or endure something to say something so we can help and diminish s*xual, domestic dating and stalking violence.”
For more information on the event, call 334-229-6767.
