Violence Against Women Awareness Month
WIN! Organizes Events to Raise Visibility on Campus
Women's Issues
Now!, a student activist group,
sponsored Violence Against Women Awareness Week from
October 27th to October 30th
Events Included the following:
| Monday
October 27th 'Defending Our Lives' presented by My Sister's Place Tuesday October 28th Q & A About Your Rights presented by DC Rape Crisis Center Wednesday October 29th "What's the Deal with Pornography?" an XXXplanation presented by Marty Langler |
Thursday
October 30th Clothesline Project Thursday October 30th Take Back the Night! rally and march Thursday October 30th "The Rules of the Game" Men's Workshop during the women's march of Take Back the Night! |
Contact Women's Issues Now! to join or get information about upcoming events at: win@gwu.edu
GW Women Take Back the Night!
by Jen Frazier
| About 75-100
students, faculty, and members of the community rallied
and marched to Take Back the Night! on October 30th
as part of the month-long Violence Against Women
Awareness events organized by the student group Women's
Issues Now! (WIN!). People gathered at the Marvin
Center's H Street Terrace at 7:00 to speak out against
the violence against women that is so prevalent in our
society. Professor Bonnie Morris, as the sole faculty member present, showed her support for student activism by enthusiastically addressing the crowd. She expressed her concerns as a professor who deals with female students in need of help but who simply do not know where to turn. She urged the crowd to do all they can to stop this violence that keeps women from leading normal and productive lives. During the open mike session, a female student voiced her opposition to the sex segregationduring the march. She argued that if any man was strong enough to come out and show his support for the cause, then he should be able to march with |
the women.
Organizers were quick to point out that it is important
for the women to march by themselves as a symbolic
gesture of opposition to the threat of violence that
keeps them indoors after dark. While the women marched,
the men had a separate workshop to discuss what they can
do stop violence against women. Many women approached the open mike to share their personal experiences with violence. Other women sang songs or recited poetry to convey their feelings. They assured us that violence against women does indeed happen on our campus and that more needs to be done to help with this problem. The rally wound down at nine o'clock and the women left to march through campus and raise awareness of those who were not able or who chose not to participate. It is very important that all students realize that there are resources available to help with issues of sexual assault, rape, or other unwanted sexual attention. Below is a list of resources specifically to help with issues of sexual violence. Please do not hesitate to use them--they are there to help. |
Violence Against Women Services
These are just some of the services available nationally and in the DC area
| My
Sister's Place A
shelter for battered women and their children. My
Sister's Place is always looking for volunteers. Clothesline Project Organization in partnership with My Sister's Place that provides an opportunity for those affected by violence to share their experiences. By creating and displaying shirts of certain colors that represent different forms of violence against women, the Clothesline project is bringing this private issue into the public eye. Contact My Sister's Place for more information or to volunteer. DC Coalition Against
Domestic Violence |
DC Rape
Crisis Center Provides counseling and a multitude of victim services that include assistance with hospitals, police, and court procedures. 24 Hour Hotline:
202-333-RAPE (7273) Gay Men and Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV) 202-452-7448 National Domestic
Violence Hotline Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network (RAINN) 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) |
First Annual
Lura Bradfield Foundation
Lecture and Awards Presentation
by Jen Frazier
| On October 28th,
trustees of the Lura Bradfield Foundation presented the
first scholarship and grant awards since its creation in
1996. This award ceremony and lecture was scheduled
during Violence Against Women Awareness Week because Lura
Bradfield herself was a survivor of abuse. She wanted
young women to have the chance to receive an education
and to offer financial assistance to organizations that
provide services for abused women. Two first year GW students, Naomi Maya Hartman and Anna Alexandra Stojanovic, were among the recipients. Two American University students received the other scholarships. Grant recipients to organizations working to combat violence against women included Arlington Community Temporary Shelter, Inc., House of Ruth, My Sister's Place, Northern Virginia Women's Center, Samaritan Ministry, and Sunshine, Inc. |
Four years
prior to her death, Lura Bradfield decided to place her
life savings into an account that would be utilized by
those she felt most deserving. Divorced and childless,
Ms. Bradfield did not have an obvious descendant to whom
she could leave her assets. She felt that this foundation
would be the best way to use those savings in a positive
and long-lasting manner. Elizabeth Shrader, Latin American Regional Coordinator for the Program on Prevention and Treatment of Family Violence at the Inter-American Development Bank, addressed issues of violence against women on a global scale in her keynote address. She emphasized the prevalence of violence against women around the world and urged those present to do what they can on a local level to help stop this all too familiar behavior. For more information on these scholarships contact the Lura Bradfield Foundation at 202-625-1024 |
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