Contact: Sammy McDavid
All next week, Mississippi State University puts the spotlight on ways to prevent sexual assault.
Beginning Sunday evening [Sept. 12] and ending at noontime on Friday [the 17th], Sexual Assault Awareness Week 1999 offers more than two dozen information programs for students, faculty, staff, and interested members of the Golden Triangle community.
"Partners for Prevention" is this year's theme, said Leigh Jensen, coordinator of the Sexual Assault Response Team in MSU's Division of Student Affairs.
"Our goal is to develop a model program in Mississippi where men and women work together to take a stand to end the culture of violence against women that is prevalent on college campuses nationwide," Jensen said. "Our hope is, that by working together, we will begin the process of reducing all violence in our communities."
Andrea F. Cooper of Littleton, Colo., a nationally recognized authority on acquaintance rape and depression, will deliver the keynote address at 7 p.m. Tuesday [the 14th] in Lee Hall Auditorium. Titled "Kristin's Story," the presentation draws heavily on the tragic experiences of Cooper's daughter, an acquaintance rape victim.
Cooper, who repeats her presentation at 10 a.m. Wednesday [the 15th], speaks to university and conference audiences around the country as part of a grant from the national Delta Delta Delta social sorority.
The week's other major event will be a "Take Back the Night Rally" that begins at 6 p.m. on Thursday [the 16th] at the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority house on Robert Jones Circle and concludes at the MSU Amphitheater. Candles will be lighted to commemorate sexual assault victims and counselors will be available.
Some other program topics include "Rape Aggression Defense," "Men's Roles and Responsibilities in the Prevention of Violence against Women" and "The Date Rape Drug: What You Should Know."
For a complete schedule or additional information on any part of the week's activities, telephone Jensen at (662) 325-2218.