Numerous Events Planned for Sexual Assault Awareness Month
In support of National Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), Fullerton College will host numerous workshops and events throughout the month of April. The campus-wide events are designed to educate, encourage, and provide students with access to a network of support. Many of the events are open to all students and members of the Fullerton community.
SAAM events will kick-off with a Spring Health Fair hosted by Student Health Services on Monday, April 4 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. on the quad. During the fair students will have an opportunity to connect with more than 30 health and safety organizations, obtain health screenings and learn more about healthy habits for the mind and body.
Following the health fair, peer health educators will be out on the quad again on Tuesday, April 5 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. to encourage students to sign a pledge card for “Stand Up, Speak Out,” a campaign to encourage one another to stand up against sexual violence.
On Monday, April 11 at 11:45 a.m. a seminar titled “Intimate Partner Violence Prevention” will be presented by Dr. Susan Leavy, LMFT in Room 224. Leavy has more than 30 years of experience in rape prevention/survivor services. She has designed, developed and implemented educational programs and outreach efforts related to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, sexual harassment, and stalking. To RSVP for the seminar contact the Cadena Cultural Center at 714-992-7086.
A Walk in Her Shoes and The Clothesline Project will both be presented on April 19 on the quad. The Clothesline Project transforms the trees in the quad to resemble clotheslines carrying T-shirts with messages from men and women expressing an emotion related to sexual violence. The clotheslines serve as both a healing component and method for advocacy. A Walk in Her Shoes challenges men to take a one-mile walk in high heels to raise awareness about violence against women. Male students and staff are expected to participate in the walk which begins at 11 a.m. on the quad.
That same night, a free self defense training lesson will be held on the quad at 5:30 p.m. followed by the annual Take Back the Night Rally and Candlelight Vigil at 7 p.m. on the quad. Take Back the Night rallies and protests date back to the late 1970’s when women in England held protests against the violence they encountered as they walked the streets at night. The first Take Back the Night event in the U.S. was held in 1978. Since then, sexual assault awareness activities have grown across the nation to address issues of sexual violence against both men and women.
Lastly, the Ethnic Studies Department will present a workshop titled “Patriarchy & Privilege as Sources of Violence Against Women” on Thursday, April 21 from 3 – 5 p.m. in Room 1018. For more information, contact Professor Amber Gonzalez at AGonzalez@fullcoll.edu
All SAAM events are free and open to students and the community. Some events may require an RSVP. For more information, please contact the appropriate person or department listed by each event. View a flyer of all the events here.
