College Feminists Connect!

Don't Talk About Sexual Violence Prevention On Campus

It’s the beginning of the school year, and on campuses across Minnesota young women are exercising their new-found freedom to explore new relationships and new experiences.  The majority will look back on these halcyon years fondly, but nearly one in four women will have their college years ruined by sexual violence.

According to the Department of Justice, “Women ages 16 to 24 experience rape at four times higher than the assault rate of all women, making the college (and high school) years the most vulnerable for women.”  The DOJ estimates that “almost 25 percent of college women have been victims of rape or attempted rape.”  In addition, the DOJ notes women enrolled in private colleges and major universities experience higher than national average rates of sexual violence. (Source: “Acquaintance Rape of College Students," www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/e03021472.pdf, page 2).

Especially during these first few weeks of school, we need to talk about rape and other forms of sexual violence:  what it is, who does it, and why they think it’s ok.  But don't try to raise awareness about sexual violence, rape, or harassment on campus, because you will be called "Self-righteous," "corrosive," "confrontational," and accused of "browbeating moralizing that effectively ensures our campus will never engage in a forthright dialogue about sexual violence."  How do I know this?  Because this is what happened at Hamline University when the Women’s Resource Center (WRC) tried to get campus talking about rape and sexual violence prevention. 

Last April, Hamline WRC students conducted a guerrilla poster campaign for Sexual Violence Prevention Awareness Week designed to confront common attitudes about rape and sexual violence.  Using images cut from People Magazine, they designed posters with slogans such as 

• Is it rape if she’s isn’t a 10? Yes!
• The most common drug used in rape is alcohol
• You don’t have to be straight to be raped, and
• Know your power – step in, speak up

Immediately after they placed the posters in their display cabinet and around campus, the cabinet was vandalized with a large handwritten sign taped to it that read: "Using images of overly-sexualized females to discourage sexual assault is ill-conceived and counter intuitive."  WRC staff immediately removed the sign as was their right; however, the student newspaper, the Oracle, jumped into the fray and published an editorial condemning the posters.

Judge for yourself: are these images taken from People Magazine "overly-sexualized"?

An Awesome Opportunity: Go, Girls Go!

The Women’s Center over at St. Cloud State University has been busy all summer. We’ve been brainstorming and planning for the coming semesters and we have quite a few fun, interesting, and cool things in store for SCSU campus and surrounding communities.

Aside from our (top secret) planning, we’ve been asked by a local Boys and Girls Club to organize an afternoon for a group of young girls (ages K-4). The young girls are a part a group called, Go, Girls Go!; a young girl’s summer empowerment group focusing on creating positive body image/self esteem, cultivating and inspiring personal growth and independence. Needless to say, this group of young girls is definitely creating their destiny in feminism, and that couldn’t make me or the ladies at Women’s Center any happier.

Obviously, the Women’s Center agreed to take on this opportunity with a resounding, “YES!”, but at the same time we were all puzzled and curious as to how we were going to keep 15 girl’s attention for over an hour. I mean, come on, since when are college students used to working/collaborating with children when it’s not required for class? Never, that’s when, but we were all eager to find the perfect activity and create conversation surrounding positive body image and self esteem, which was the theme we decided to go with.

When brainstorming, I couldn’t help but think about my little nieces (ages 10, 9, 7, and 5) and what types of activities they would be receptive to – and then I thought of a conversation that was had a few months ago involving said body image topic.

Babysitting these girls is always such a treat.  They're always teaching me new things and never fail to keep me informed on "what's cool" now-a-days (because apparently, I'm old and totally out of the loop).

Does Your Women's Center Have a Link?

Does your women's center have a link to College Feminist Connect? 

The College of Saint Benedict's Women's Center has a direct link for the College Feminist Connect. This link enables students to easily access information that College Feminist Connect posts and allows students to post blogs or find resources. The hope for College Feminist Connect is to have direct links on every women's centers page from every college or university in Minnesota. If you are interested in getting you school involved or applying to be a college feminist connect liaison please send a letter of intent and your resume to the College Feminist Connect Coordinator. 

PEACE is Looking for New Members

PEACE (Peer Educators Acting for Change and Equality) at Minnesota State University, Mankato is currently seeking out new members to join our fabulous theatre troupe. If you are interested in working to create social change and end sexual assaults on campus and in the community, please contact Megan Rae at the Women's Center for more information.

The Women of Action Committee at Minnesota State University, Mankato is also recruiting new members for Spring 2011. If you're interested in learning more about WAC, what they do, and how you can be a part of a great organization, e-mail Kerry or stop by their table on January 18 and 19 from 11 AM - 1 PM along Mav Ave to get more information or ask questions.

St. Cloud State Universtiy Sexual Assault Report

The Women's Center at St. Cloud State University recently released a year-end Sexual Assault Report for their campus. (Download 2009-2010 year end). The report summarizes information on twenty-five reports of sexual assault occurring to SCSU students from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010. The Women's Center sends out a profile twice during the academic year that includes sexual assaults occuring to a member of their campus community, on or off campus, or is perpetuated by a member of their community, and any sexual assault that occur on university-owned property.

In addition to this report, the Women's Center provides numerous services and educational programs to increase awareness about the problem of sexual violence. Services include support and advocacy to victims of sexual violence, dating/domestic violence, harassment, and stalking. In addition, all incoming students complete an on-line educational program called Respect and Consent and risk reduction through Student Success, Inc. Other risk reduction and prevention programs include Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP).  MVP is a leadership program designed to educate and empower potential bystanders in situations of gender violence.

For more information about these services call the Gender Violence Prevention Program at the Women's Center at 320-308-3995 or visit their website.

University of Minnesota's Women's Center 50th Anniversary!

The oldest of its kind on a college campus, the Women's Center celebrates 50 years of history this year!
Join in the celebration of their heritage. The Women's Center will host a series of events to celebrate but you don't want to miss the Gala on October 1 at 3 PM in the McNamara Alumni Center. The program features:

• Dr. Nancy "Rusty" Barcelo, President, Northern New Mexico College
• Suzanne Koepplinger, Executive Director, MN Indian Women's Resource Center
• Voices Merging, University of Minnesota student performance group
• Opportunities to connect with former and current staff, friends, and allies

Light refreshments will be served. Cash bar. Click here for more information.