 "Photo: Megan Valantine")
The Center for Women & Families had its first meeting Monday to discuss what the campaign members want to accomplish with the White Ribbon Campaign, a campaign about men working to end men’s violence against women.
The concept of the campaign is new to SUU and members discussed ideas to better publicize the campaign as well as the goals that want to be accomplished to get the campaign up and running.
Caitlyn Kennedy, director of the Center of Women & Families, said it is extremely important to get the word out that sexual violence is not only a women’s issue but everyone is included in it.
The White Ribbon Campaign is more of a preventative measure rather than a reactive measure she says.
Kennedy said this is mainly a men’s campaign, women are invited to participate however, where men can speak about violence against women and how it can be stopped.
“The goal is since it is a men’s group I want to make sure they have the freedom to do what they want,” Kennedy said.
The White Ribbon Campaign is a national campaign that started in Canada and is an ongoing campaign with the goal of becoming a club on campus and possibly even turning the campaign into an honor society.
Last week there was a table in the Sharwan Smith Center mall where white ribbons were handed out.
The white ribbons symbolize men against violence.
President of the Karate Club, Will Shelby, said he found out about the campaign through the previous Karate Club president.
“I don’t understand violence on anybody, especially women,” Shelby said. “I don’t think it is right that one person can control another.”
Shelby said he would like to see at least one self-defense workshop each semester and even possibly involve the Karate Club to co-sponsor the White Ribbon Campaign.
Kennedy said it is important to end violence against women and equally important is to educate the public.
With the remainder of the fall semester, those involved in the campaign want to focus on advertising for the White Ribbon Campaign by getting involved in safe sex week during February and bringing Light Up the Night back to campus.
According to the SUU Web site, Light Up the Night last took place in October 2006. At Light Up the Night there was a concert with dancing and prizes. Glow-in-the dark light sticks were required for the dance and the cost was $5 per person or $8 per couple. The first 50 people to enter the concert received a free glow necklace.
The event helped support the cause to fight against rape and violence on women. Part of the proceeds from the evening went to the SUU Center for Women & Families.
Those who are interested in participating in the campaign can stop by the Center for Women & Families, located in the Sharwan Smith Center room 175, to sign up.
1 comments
......................................................Is "fighting" the one thing this campaign is trying to avoid? Bad choice of a headline.