Wearing denim buttons Wednesday and lighting candles Thursday, students and local organizations have responded to a perceived deficiency in awareness of sexual assault among the community.
In conjunction with the Sexual Assault Resource Center of the Brazos Valley, the Texas A&M Women’s Resource Center has held events throughout April in observance of Sexual Assault Awareness month, dedicated by President Barack Obama in 2009.
Heather Wheeler, program coordinator of the Women’s Resource Center, said the issue is a reality for many students.
“In reality there are a couple thousand students on campus that are victims of sexual assault,” Wheeler said. “We want to show support for the victims and inform students that it’s not a value at A&M.”
Anna Chowdhury, executive director for the Sexual Assault Resource Center of the Brazos Valley, said although sexual assault may be an uncomfortable conversation to have, it’s a necessary one.
“Sexual Assault is not a pleasant subject,” Chowdhury said. “But it’s happening and is a part of peoples’ lives whether we know it or not.”
The sexual assault research center works with 300 to 400 victims yearly to help them cope with their trauma in a healthy way, Cowdhury said.
“One in four college students are at risk of sexual assault and women in Texas have a one-in-six chance of encountering sexual assault in their lifetime,” Chowdhury said.
In honor of victims and survivors of sexual assault, a candlelight vigil will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Hillcrest Baptist Church. Wheeler encouraged everyone to attend and pay respect to those affected by sexual assault.
Wednesday’s “Denim Day” functions as a response to the rape of an 18-year-old Italian girl in 1992. Her attacker was convicted after the case reached the Italian Supreme Court but was later released “because the victim was wearing very, very tight jeans she had to help him remove them … and by removing the jeans … it was no longer rape but consensual sex.”
Women of the Italian Parliament protested the “denim defense” and wore jeans to work. The United States held its first Denim Day in April of 1999, which has since been held annually on the third Wednesday of April.
The Stark Galleries created a denim mandala – an image for peace and womanhood – Wednesday to protest misconceptions about sexual assault. The “Women Call for Peace: Global Vistas” exhibit in the gallery works in conjunction with the theme. All of the artists are women and their works advocate for global peace. Over the past few weeks the Stark Galleries were able to collect 80 pairs of jeans to donate to the Women’s Resource Center. The galleries’ goal next year is to collect 150 pairs of jeans so that they may double the size of the mandala and donate to help battered women.
“In support of this movement that’s happening in cities all over the country, this was our Aggie and artistic contribution,” said Greg Phillipy, curator with the University art galleries. “It was a great service project for peace and for women and children.”
On April 9, 27 participants made up of former and current students, Blinn students and members of the University Police Department and broader community walked in the 3rd annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes campaign. Strutting red high heels through campus, they were able to raise $483 to fund sexual assault and relationship violence education throughout the year.