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WIU Events Planned for Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April 1, 2019

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MACOMB, IL – Western Illinois University will observe Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) in April.

A variety of campus events are planned to bring awareness to an important issue. This year's schedule includes:

• Sexual Health and Violence: Wednesday, April 3 in Stipes Hall 107 from 6-7 p.m.

• Domestic Violence Against Women: Prevalence and Impact on Victims and the Community – Friday, April 5 in Stipes 121 from 5-6 p.m.

• The Clothesline Project: Friday, April 19 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on the Multicultural Center Lawn – Co-sponsored by WIRC-CAA Victim Services and the WIU Women's Center.

• Denim Day: Wednesday, April 24 – Denim Day - For the past 20 years, Peace Over Violence has run its Denim Day campaign on a Wednesday in April in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The campaign began after a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court where a rape conviction was overturned because the justices felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans she must have helped the person who raped her remove her jeans, thereby implying consent. The following day, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim.

Peace Over Violence developed the Denim Day campaign in response to this case and the activism surrounding it. Since then, wearing jeans on Denim Day has become a symbol of protest against erroneous and destructive attitudes about sexual harassment, abuse, assault and rape. In this sexual violence prevention and education campaign, we ask community members, elected officials, businesses and students to make a social statement with their fashion statement by wearing jeans on this day as a visible means of protest against the misconceptions that surround sexual violence.

• Feminist Action Alliance Tabling: Wednesday, April 24, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. - tentatively scheduled for outside the Union. WIRC Victim Services business cards with denim ribbons will be given away. This is in acknowledgement of Denim Day.

• The Invisible War: Tuesday, April 30, 4 p.m. in the University Union Sandburg Theatre. Co-sponsored by the Veteran's Resource Center and the Army ROTC and the WIU Women's Center, the Invisible War is "an investigative documentary about the epidemic of rape of soldiers within the U.S. military."

• The WIU Women's Center is sponsoring a three-part Men's Outreach Program: Masculinity. Awareness. Networking. While the topics don't specifically address sexual assault or violence against women, they will likely come up as discussions about toxic masculinity will be held.  Below are the program details:

- Wednesday, April 10: Screening of "The Bro Code: How Contemporary Culture Creates Sexist Men" at 7 p.m. in the Multicultural Center

- Wednesday, April 17: "Are You a 'Real' Man?: Societal Impacts on Masculinity" at 7 p.m. in the Multicultural Center

- Wednesday, April 24: "Masculinity Trap: How Sexism Impacts Boys and Men" at 7 p.m. in the Multicultural Center

For more information on any of the programs, contact the WIU Women's Center at (309) 298-2242.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing