FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                               
Sept. 22, 2009

MUW hosts Sexual Assault Awareness Week

COLUMBUS, Miss. -- Mississippi University for Women will host its annual Sexual Assault Awareness Week program Sept. 21- 25.

Deanna Wilkins, assistant director of community living for counseling services, said, “The event is held to educate students about the dangers of sexual assault.”

Events started on Monday with a self-defense class. Tonight there will be a discussion on the DVD, “The Quiet Storm,” in Cochran Ballroom at 6 p.m. The Clothesline Project will be held Wednesday at the Demonstration School field from 1 to 3 p.m.; rain location Hogarth W Room. The Clothesline Project was started in Cape Cod, Mass., in 1990 to address the issue of violence against women. The project is a channel for women affected by violence to express their emotions by decorating a shirt. The shirts will then hang on a clothesline to be viewed by others as a testimony to the problem of violence against women. On Thursday, there will be a march that begins in front of Reneau Hall at 6 p.m. and conclude with a rally on Shattuck Lawn. Survivors will be given the opportunity to share their stories and provide hope for other victims. Musical entertainment will be provided by the band Ambrocious.

According to the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network, someone in America is sexually assaulted every two and a half minutes.

Wilkins said, “Take Back the Night is an event that brings a very private and demoralizing issue to the forefront. By taking a stand against sexual violence, our students have the opportunity to educate the public about sexual violence and some methods of prevention.”

From the late 1970s through present day, Take Back The Night events have been held by college and university women's centers, YWCA's, rape crisis centers, community centers, high school student groups, battered women's shelters and other organizations dedicated to helping women achieve safety and empowerment. Events have been held in England, Belgium, Australia, Canada, the Caribbean Islands, the United States and likely other corners of the globe.

The public is invited to participate in the rally. For more information, contact Wilkins at (662) 329-7127.