In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month coming up in April, Penn State is dedicating an entire week to raising awareness to the cause. Sexual Violence Awareness Week is dedicated to raising awareness and attention to the important message of preventing sexual assault. Throughout the week, events will take place at various buildings across campus to help convey the message of promoting the end to sexual violence.
“I’m just happy the whole campus is dedicated to this cause,” Hyunji Kwon, graduate student in art education and women’s gender sexuality studies, says.
On Monday, the “Walk A Mile in Her Shoes” event kicked off the week. Men and women gathered at Alumni Hall and walked across campus in high heel shoes. Later that evening, guest speaker Eve Ensler, creator of The Vagina Monologues, V-Day and One Billion Rising, spoke to students about sexual violence against women all over the world.
Tuesday, there was an art-inspired event held at the Palmer Art Museum hosted by Hyunji Kwon. The event focused on using art as a tool to illustrate the pain and suffering women faced who have experienced sexual violence. In addition there was a screening of “Tough Guise 2”, a film by Jackson Katz, which brings attention to the societal construction of masculinity and how society conditions men to act a certain way.
On Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., Sisters on the Runway will host their annual fashion show benefitting the Centre County Women’s Resource Center. Free food and drinks will be provided, as well as Penn State dance groups and A Capella groups performing at the fashion show.
Thursday, the documentary “The Pursuit of Truth” will be shown. The documentary tells the story of adult survivors of child sexual assault.
Lastly on Friday, a gala benefitting the Centre County Women’s Resource Center will take place at the Hintz Family Alumni Center at 6 p.m.
“It is important to get involved this week. Even if you’re not directly involved as a victim or perpetrator, it is important to be aware and educated of what is happening as a bystander,” Kwon says.
For more information about the events this week, visit the Facebook page here.
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