Baylor University Joins National Campaign during April’s National Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Awareness, prevention efforts include campus light-up on April 3 Day of Action, “What Were You Wearing, Waco?” exhibit, It’s On Us BU video and more
Media Contact: Lori Fogleman, 254-710-6275
Follow Lori on Twitter at @LoriBaylorU
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WACO, Texas (April 2, 2018) – Baylor University again has joined universities and communities around the country in April in a national effort to increase public awareness and prevention education about sexual violence during Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM).
This year, SAAM is commemorating its 17th anniversary with the national theme of “Embrace Your Voice.” During April, Baylor will provide several opportunities for students, faculty and staff to join the University’s commitment to a safe and healthy campus, the prevention of acts of sexual violence and to treat all members of the campus community with dignity and respect.
National Day of Action, April 3, 2018
This month’s activities will begin on April 3, the National Day of Action. The University will light up several campus and community landmarks in teal – the color that symbolizes sexual violence prevention. The lighted landmarks include the I-35 bridges, McLane Stadium, Pat Neff Hall and Fountain Mall in the center of campus, which will be illuminated with teal luminaries.
What Were You Wearing, Waco?” Exhibit, April 6-28, 2018
The powerful art exhibit, “What Were You Wearing, Waco?” which features 18 stories of sexual violence and representations of what each victim was wearing at the time of their assault, will open April 6 in downtown Waco at Cultivate 7Twelve, 712 Austin Ave. The exhibit will be displayed from 4 p.m. to midnight through April 15, when it will move to the Baylor campus for display from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from April 16-26 in the Vara Martin Daniel Plaza next to the Bill Daniel Student Center, 1311 S. Fifth St. The closing exhibit will be held from April 27-28 at Jesus Said Love, 1500 Columbus Ave. in Waco.
The art project was created in 2013 by Jen Brockman, the director of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Education Center at the University of Kansas, and Dr. Mary A. Wyandt-Hiebert, who oversees all programming initiatives at the University of Arkansas’ rape education center. The exhibit, which focuses on the questions often asked of survivors of sexual violence and shares the message that survivors are not responsible for their assault no matter what they were wearing, has been featured across various college campuses.
It’s On Us BU Awareness Video
The It’s On Us BU awareness video and live readers about the It’s On Us BU campaign will be featured during several Baylor athletic events in support of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
- April 3 – Baylor baseball vs. Lamar
- April 10 and 11 – Baylor softball vs. McNeese State (reader)
- April 17 – Baylor baseball vs. Texas Southern
- April 18 – Baylor baseball vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff
- April 20, 21 and 22 – Baylor baseball vs. TCU
- April 20, 21 and 22 – Baylor softball vs. Kansas (reader)
- April 21 – Baylor spring football game
Dr Pepper Hour, April 24, 2018
Dr Pepper Hour at 3 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, in Barfield Drawing Room will focus on information and resources available from Baylor’s Title IX Office, which will have staff in attendance. The evening also will feature a campus light-up in honor of survivors.
Other events will be announced as the month progresses. For updates, follow @Baylor on Twitter and search the hashtags #SAAM and #ItsOnUsBU.
Student volunteers play a pivotal role in shaping programs and awareness events hosted by the University. To volunteer to be a part of the It’s On Us BU Student Advisory Council or for more information about Baylor’s Title IX Office, contact the staff at 254-710-8454 or go online at www.baylor.edu/TitleIX.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL SEXUAL VIOLENCE RESOURCE CENTER
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) is the leading nonprofit in providing information and tools to prevent and respond to sexual violence. NSVRC translates research and trends into best practices that help individuals, communities and service providers achieve real and lasting change.
Each April, NSVRC leads Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), a campaign to educate and engage the public in addressing the widespread issue of sexual assault. On college campuses, research has found that one in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted during their time in college. With that knowledge, individuals, communities and the private sector are already successfully combatting the risk of sexual violence through conversations, programs, policies and research-based tools that promote safety and respect for all members of the community.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.