Wristbands promote sexual assault awareness

Battle of the Bands, guest speaker visit to attract, inform students of real issues
by Kristen Johanson
The Towerlight Online-Towson University, Baltimore, MD

September 19, 2005

Students bonded together for an inaugural series of events geared to raise awareness about sexual assault as the University’s Safe and Sound campaign commenced on Wednesday.
Members of the Counseling Center’s Peer Educators program served mocktails while students browsed booths with information on rape, sexual assault, harassment, and STD/HIV and risk reduction. Members of the Counseling Center, Health Center, Towson University Police Department and the Women’s Center were hosting information tables. In the evening, a Battle of the Bands concert was held in Paws.

The Sexual Assault Prevention and Response committee and the Athletic Department sponsored Wednesday’s events.

Their efforts were geared toward awareness, particularly early in the semester.

“The reason we did it in September is because, unfortunately, a lot of sexual assault happens in the first month or few of school,” Lisa Gargiulo, graduate assistant for the SAFE program, said. “We are just trying to raise the level of awareness and prevention.”

Inside Paws, a sparse crowd of students was seated around the stage area where the Campus Activities Board hosted a Battle of the Bands in connection with the Counseling center.

“We were trying to find a way to reach the students and make them aware of the seriousness of sexual assault,” said Lee Whieldon, a sophomore music education major and chairperson of the CAB Coffeehouse committee. “During the summer CAB contacted the Women’s Center to collaborate on this event. This is the first time we have ever had this.”

Jason Heiserman, assistant director of student activities, hopes to collaborate on future week long events with the Campus Activities Board.

“A lot of departments want to do a comprehensive theme week with entertainment and want to collaborate with CAB to reach students,” Heiserman said. “CAB students have resources that other department may not have, like different contacts and bands. [The CAB students] try to always say yes—they think it’s really important.”

Freshman Leslie Keane felt the bands helped to bring students attention to a more important issue. “I came out because it seemed like a good place to get information on how to stay safe on campus,” Keane said. “The bands were a good way to attract people and it gets the point across to more people.”

Freshman Connor Scanlon agreed that the bands were a main attraction.

“I like music, that’s why I came,” Scanlon said. “I saw the ‘Safe and Sound’ bracelets and I made a pledge to do my part.”

During the Paws event, members of the Sexual Assault Peer Educators provided students with yellow and black silicone bracelets in exchange for a pledge made by a student to do all he or she can to prevent a sexual assault.

The pledge is part of the Count Me In/Towson University Buddy System.

“They actually bought 5,000 bracelets and now we are down to a few,” T.J. Dethloff, senior psychology major and member of the Peer Education program, said. “They have to make a pledge to get a bracelet, so we know that people are pledging to do their part.”

Along with Gargiulo and Dethloff, Daniel Ewald asked students to pledge, get a bracelet and fill out a raffle ticket to get involved.

The raffle included gift certificates to Jerry’s Subs and Pizza, Bill Bateman’s Bistro, the Senator Theater, Chipotle and Starbucks.

“I am going to be a high school teacher,” Ewald, a senior biology and secondary education, major said. “The knowledge of sexual assault awareness will be useful to my students.”

Safe and Sound is a campaign that also features a series of events sponsored by the Counseling Center and the Women’s Center.

On Thursday night, speaker Keith Edwards addressed sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape. The presentation took place in the Stephens Hall Theatre.

Edwards explained that in 99 percent of rapes on campus, “men are the perpetrators and women are the victims.”

“I am here to be direct with you,” said Edwards. “You have the power to influence this campus and the society we live in.”

“The reality is that all of us, as men, are feared,” he continued. “Violence against women is killing us too.”

Edwards concluded his speech by explaining why he goes from campus to campus talking about men and rape.

“I do this for three reasons,” Edwards said.

“I do it for the women I know. I do it for the women I will never know. And I do it for myself and the men I know.”