The University of Wisconsin group Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment set up shop on Library Mall Wednesday as part of the national Sexual Assault Awareness Month Day of Action.
Representatives from a number of campus organizations set up tables in Library Mall with facts about sexual violence. Students who attended signed cards, pledging to help stop sexual assault.
“[The event] is really just designed to say, ‘Let’s bring it home and let’s accept that this is happening and let’s work to change it,'” said Carmen Hotvedt, PAVE staff advisor and violence prevention specialist at UW’s University Health Services.
Sexual Assault Awareness Month is a national campaign aimed at raising awareness about the realities of sexual assault.
April 8 was designated as the National Day of Action to “shed some light on the issue of sexual violence and, in a way, to empower people who are survivors and kind of give them a voice through a national awareness month,” PAVE Chair Ally Cruickshank said.
Statistics indicate that women are at the greatest risk for sexual assault during their college years, according to Hotvedt, which is why this event is of particular importance to UW.
“UW-Madison, like any other college campus, has a problem with sexual assault and dating violence. We care about these issues and we know they’re happening,” Hotvedt said. “We have a responsibility to do something about these crimes.”
Sex Out Loud Coordinator Ariel Trangle agreed, saying sexual assault is a campus and community issue that affects everyone.
“It’s also part of our mission and our work to end all kinds of dating violence,” Trangle said. “We’re a sex-positive organization, making sure everyone has good, consensual sex.”
According to Hotvedt, 20 to 25 percent of women and 10 to 15 percent of men will be sexually assaulted during their lives.
“PAVE’s intention was to take a national campaign and bring it back to the campus,” Hotvedt said. “It means making sure we’re challenging the attitudes that make sexual assault possible.”
PAVE is also launching a consent campaign within the next week that will feature posters on Metro buses reminding students and community members to ask for consent before having sex, especially when alcohol is involved.
The campaign’s slogan is: “Some things should never be blurry. Ask for consent every time.”
Cruickshank said the alcohol-facilitated sexual assault posters are a way to discuss consent in the context of alcohol, the most commonly used date rape drug on college campuses.
The bus campaign is paired with facts on PAVE’s website that define consent and provide help for sexual assault victims.
Sexual Assault Awareness Month also features the “Take Back the Night” sexual assault rally on April 18, the screening of a documentary that focuses on rape awareness on April 20 and a workshop that teaches students how to help sexual assault victims on April 23.
