The UO’s Division of Student Life and a team of Ducks are working together to mark the April observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, offering many ways to get involved, raise awareness, support survivors and help bring cultural change on campus.

The activities are part of the university’s effort to remain in the national conversation on sexual violence and leverage the exposure the month-long spotlight brings to the topic.

“Sexual violence is a national issue and something the UO is not immune to,” said Kerry Frazee, director of sexual violence prevention and education. “While preventing sexual violence takes more than one department, office, club, team, administrator, professor, staff member or student, we feel that deliberate collaboration by groups across campus have combined to offer thoughtful events throughout the month. These events are designed to raise awareness and spark conversation around questioning gender roles, celebrating bystander intervention and support for survivors.”

Fraternity and Sorority Life have teamed up with athletics to show their commitment to ending sexual violence and will be wearing teal-colored wristbands inscribed with “It’s On Ducks.” Teal is the color of Sexual Assault Awareness Month and will be a visual reminder throughout the month of the shared desire for campus change.

The month-long recognition kicks off with an award showcase of student-directed intervention videos. More than 40 teams of students accepted the “Ducks Do Something/It’s On Us” challenge and 17 teams qualified, producing short videos on how they will work to prevent sexual violence.

The winning project will be announced at an April 2 ceremony that starts at 6 p.m. at the Jaqua Center for Student Athletes. The winner will be featured on the national “It’s On Us” campaign website.

Other highlights from the month of programing include:

• April 9 – Ducks After Dark showing the movie “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” hosted by the ASUO Men’s Center with a discussion on masculinity and violence in pop culture following the showing
• April 14 and 16 – Empowerment Based Self-Defense classes with professor Jocelyn Hollander
• April 20 – An exhibition, in collaboration with Sexual Assault Support Services, of shirts decorated by Lane County women affected by violence in Willamette Hall
• April 28 – “The Hunting Grounds” documentary film screening, hosted by the ASUO Women’s Center, Center for Study of Women in Society and the School of Journalism and Communication.
• April 30 – The annual Take Back the Night rally, march and speak-out to end sexual violence.

A comprehensive listing of all of the events being held to mark Sexual Assault Awareness Month can be found on the student life website.

- By Jen McCulley, Public Affairs Communications