Monday, April 1, 2024 Support survivors during Sexual Assault Awareness Month
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The Center for Advocacy, Response, and Education (CARE) will be hosting events and activities all month long to support survivors and educate the campus community. Here are the ways you can show your support and get involved with ending sexual violence.
Teal Day: Day of Action
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 2 | Nebraska Union Memorial PlazaChances are someone in your life is a survivor of sexual harassment, assault, or abuse, even if they have never shared their story with you. Show your support for survivors of sexual harassment and abuse by wearing teal — the color of sexual violence prevention — and post a picture to Instagram and tag @care_at_unl. By wearing teal, you’re signaling that you support survivors, and are a safe person to talk to if they need to reach out.
Stop by CARE’s booth to get a teal ribbon or sticker, learn more about Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and discover how you can be a positive agent of change on campus.
"What Were You Wearing?" Survivor Art Installation
12 to 7 p.m. April 9-11 | Nebraska East Union Garden Room11 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 15-18 | Willa Cather Dining Complex, Red Cloud B-C
Visit this art exhibit that asks participants to understand that it is never about the clothing when sexual violence occurs. This display will show representations of outfits worn during assaults with accompanying stories from sexual violence survivors. Inspired by the poem “What I Was Wearing” by Dr. Mary Simmerling, the project intends to shed light on the burden of self-blame brought forth by the victim-blaming question that is pervasive for most survivors and shatter the myth that sexual violence can be attributed to a person’s choice in clothing.
The exhibit is free and open to the public.
SARV Open Session
1 to 2:30 p.m. April 12 | Nebraska East Union, Prairie B/CEngage in conversation with fellow Huskers in a safe and inclusive environment while increasing a shared sense of responsibility and community. Facilitated by trained undergraduate Huskers CARE Peer Educators, SARV workshops are designed to help undergraduate students:
- Gain awareness of and increase understanding of sexual assault and relationship violence.
- Learn about programs and resources available on campus and in the community.
- Be empowered to become active in daily life through the prevention of power-based violence by knowing how to intervene.
SARV workshops are open and free to all UNL students. Register to attend.
Conversations About Consent
6 to 7 p.m. April 23 | Louise Pound Hall, Room 124What is consent? Garner skills to communicate and withdraw consent, gain self-efficacy in safely navigating sexual consent, and learn how to expand conversations about relationship boundaries.
Free and open to all UNL students. Register to attend.
Denim Day
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 24 | Nebraska Union Memorial PlazaJoin the Center for Advocacy, Response & Education in wearing denim in solidarity with sexual violence survivors. Per DenimDay.org, the international campaign began in 1999 after a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court where a rape conviction was overturned because the justices stated that since the victim was wearing tight jeans, she must have helped remove them, thereby implying consent. Women in the Italian Parliament came to work the next day wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim/survivor.
Stop by the CARE booth to learn how you can get involved in violence prevention on campus, and show your support of survivors by participating in the creation of a denim art display.
For more about Sexual Assault Awareness Month, follow @care_at_unl on Instagram.